Port Elliot residents head to court to fight two-storey office and unit

Port Elliot residents will head to court to stop a two-storey office and apartment development planned for their town.

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Port Elliot locals are battling to block a two-storey office and unit development they say will erode their town’s character.

Under the plans, a house and tennis court at 27 North Tce would be razed to make way for two offices and four units.

Alexandrina Council’s planning panel has approved the development, which also won the backing of the State Commission Assessment Panel.

Its opponents yesterday launched an appeal in the Environment, Resources and Development Court.

Belinda Sullivan, who lives near the site, said many locals saw the proposal as “the thin end of the wedge” and were worried the council was “making Port Elliot much bigger than it needs to be”.

An artist’s impression of plans for 27 North Tce, Port Elliot. Picture: Supplied

“It’s about trying to keep the charm and character of Port Elliot,” Ms Sullivan said.

“There’s a lot of people here who think, fine, bulldoze the house but put something up that’s a bit more sympathetic to the heritage around it.”

Neighbour Rod Crockford was among about 50 residents who on Monday rallied against the project, which would replace the 1946-built home of former mayor Joe Barton.

“We came here because of the tranquillity and the style of the town and the harbour — everything looked so wonderful about it,” Mr Crockford said. “We feel now it’s being jeopardised — it’s being ruined.”

Acting for land owner Ruediger Weise, Craig Rowe, of planning firm CL Rowe & Associates, said after previous plans for shops and units on the site were rejected, they were “scaled right down”.

Mr Rowe said the project was designed by “award-winning architects” and won the approval of two heritage advisers. “They spent a lot of time and effort trying to reduce the bulk and mass of it and use heritage components in the design,” he said.

“Not only has (the) council approved it, but … it went to the State Planning Commission and they concurred.”

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