Uproar over luxury $50m Oscar hotel in Barossa dubbed ‘the Slug’ by detractors

It’s billed as a $50m game-changer for the Barossa but the proposed luxury Oscar hotel is causing tension across the famed wine region. Vote in our poll.

Its detractors in the Barossa Valley refer to it as “the Slug”.

Its advocates talk of a “world-class luxury hotel’’ that will light up the region and attract wine tourists from all over the world.

The detractors believe the proposed Oscar hotel at Seppeltsfield – a $50m, six-star, 12-storey, 50m tall complex – will damage the fabric of the Barossa, vandalising its natural beauty. The advocates say without such a development the Barossa will lose its status as Australia’s premier wine region.

Its opponents also include the adjoining Barossa Council (Seppeltsfield is in the Light Regional Council) and the outgoing local Liberal member Stephan Knoll.

Proposed design of the Oscar hotel at Seppeltsfield. Supplied

A court case later this month could determine the fate of the Oscar, whose financial backers include well-known pub owner Peter Hurley and former Adelaide Crows captain Mark Ricciuto.

If the court case goes against the developers, Seppeltsfield owner Warren Randall says he could take the project to one of his properties in the McLaren Vale or the Adelaide Hills.

“If the Barossa says ‘no’ to the Oscar, I will simply take it to another wine district and the Barossa will miss out,’’ Mr Randall says.

He says South Australia needs an “iconic building’’.

“The Oscar could be like the Sydney Harbour Bridge or the Sydney Opera House that brings international and interstate tourists to South Australia to see the building,’’ Mr Randall says.

Proposed design of the Oscar hotel at Seppeltsfield. Supplied

But that’s not a view shared by all.

Eva Tscharke and James Lindner are members of the Barossa Region Residents’ Association. They have no problem with a luxury hotel being built in the region but believe the Oscar is the wrong design.

And anyway, Ms Tscharke says, it’s not buildings that attract visitors to the Barossa.

“It’s the Barossa that’s the showpiece – the vines, the natural beauty – not buildings,’’ she says.

“We’re not against luxury accommodation but this is not an appropriate design for the area,’’ Mr Lindner adds. Barossa identity Margaret Lehmann is another against the Oscar.

“I have nothing but admiration and respect for how the heart of Seppeltsfield has been rejuvenated and restored,” she says.

“Sadly, this building does not fit in with the atmosphere and character of the area.

“Seppeltsfield belongs to all the Barossa because is very much part of our history. This is an alien in our landscape.’’

The decision on whether the Oscar will be approved sits with the Light Regional Council, but the process has been paused because of an appeal lodged with the Environment Resources and Development Court (ERD).

A main point of contention for those opposing the Oscar is that it was labelled a category two development and not category three.

A category two development means only immediate neighbours can lodge and objection and have 14 days to do so and no appeal rights.

A category three would mean anyone, anywhere in the state could object and appeal rights are preserved. Eleven of 14 neighbours lodged objections and there are two joined cases before the ERD seeking to overturn the category two designation. A hearing will be held later this month.

Seppeltsfield owner Warren Randall. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

A spokesman for Light Regional Council said it had received 56 emails and postcards from people objecting to the development. The spokesman said the Oscar fitted category two because it was “tourist accommodation” and the council’s independent assessment panel would reconvene after the ERD made a decision.

He also said the panel would assess whether the proposal met the council’s development plan for Seppeltsfield which says, in part, that “development should be sympathetic with the existing winery and associated buildings in terms of design, style, siting, scale, form, detailing, materials and colour’’.

The stoush has also reignited calls for the entire Barossa Geographical Indication (GI), which describes the boundaries of the wine area, to be contained within one council. The GI is spread across four councils – Barossa Light, Mid-Murray and Gawler.

Barossa Mayor Bim Lange says matching of the geographical area and council boundaries “needs to happen’’, and said it would be “unlikely’’ the Oscar would have been approved by the Barossa Council.

Mr Knoll also has doubts about the Oscar, although he agrees the Barossa needs improved tourism facilities.

“From my layman’s perspective, I think the Oscar proposal struggles to comply with the requirements of the Barossa Character Preservation Act as well as the Light Regional Council’s own Seppeltsfield Winery Policy Area,’’ he says.

The Oscar’s designers, however, remain optimistic. Director of Luxury Hotels Australia Toby Yap says concerns had been noted and the hotel’s location had moved further down the gully to make it less obtrusive.

Eva Tscharke and James Lindner photographed next to the Seppletsfield Mausoleum which has a view back to the proposed spot for the hotel. Picture: Russell Millard

Mr Yap also said discussions had been held with some of the world’s most prestigious hotel chains about managing the Barossa venture. He said it would create 350 jobs in construction and 300 ongoing jobs and bring something “new and dynamic’’ to the Barossa.

Mr Randall describes this as a turning point for the Barossa. Does it, he asks, want to retain its status as the No. 1 wine district in Australia or does it want to forfeit the title to somewhere like McLaren Vale. He is also asking people to trust him.

“I respect Seppeltsfield, I respect the Seppelt family. I am not going to do anything at Seppeltsfield that is not in tune with that great estate,’’ he says.

“As the caretaker, as the custodian, as the major shareholder of it, I am not going to abuse it.

“In my opinion, the Oscar is an outstanding modern design and is exactly what is needed as an iconic architectural building to attract people to the Barossa Valley.’’