Mount Gambier’s Pine Country Holiday Park owner appeals council decision to allow 22 campsites at town’s showgrounds
The owner of a regional holiday park is in a legal dispute with the local show society over its plans to offer additional camping at its showgrounds.
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A Mount Gambier holiday park owner has launched a legal fight against new plans for the local showgrounds to host campers.
Pine Country Holiday Park owner Nathan Seal is appealing a decision to allow the Mount Gambier Agricultural and Horticultural Society to create 22 camping sites at the Pick Ave showgrounds in a 12-month, $5000 trial.
The showgrounds already offer eight campsites.
In documents lodged with the Environment, Resources and Development Court, Mr Seal said the trial would essentially turn the showgrounds into a commercial caravan park, with room for motorhomes, campervans, caravans and tents.
In April, Mount Gambier Council’s assessment panel granted planning consent for the additional campsites, despite rejecting a similar application in February last year saying it would be “detrimental” to the site.
The plan still needs final development approval.
Mr Seal’s legal challenge also brings into question why the council’s chief executive officer, Andrew Meddle, recommended the new application be approved, rather than a qualified planner.
Mr Meddle was appointed last May, three months after the assessment panel’s initial refusal of the camping plan.
A number of other local caravan park owners had also written to Mr Meddle about the show society’s application, court documents showed.
It also showed the council had written to the show society warning it against using more than the eight camping sites already approved.
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“Council has forwarded the showgrounds a letter advising them of the requirements of their approval and requesting that they take no more bookings than the eight campsites,” an email from a council manager reads.
“Should the showgrounds continually allow more than eight campsites to be used on site, the matter will be referred to council for consideration to undertake/commence legal action to correct the breach of the act.”
Mr Seal did not want to comment when contacted by The Messenger.