Southern residents rally against major project to convert winery into housing

SOUTHERN residents have voiced their alarm over a major development planned for a former winery.

The former Accolade wine site could be turned into housing.

• Plans to turn Accolades Winery into housing

RESIDENTS at a protest meeting at Old Reynella have voiced their alarm over a major development planned for a former winery.

Under the project, the Accolade winery site would be converted into a community hub – featuring retail outlets, housing and a childcare centre – under a proposal by Tarac Technologies.

But more than 70 residents attended a meeting Saturday to voice concerns the transformation of the 32ha site, on the corner of Reynell and Panalatinga roads, would imperil both road safety and home privacy.

Grant Wanless, whose house sits on the site’s boundary, said the meeting had empowered a committee to lobby Onkaparinga Council for greater consultation on the project.

The council last month backed a plan to change the zoning for the western side of the site, from industrial to residential, to allow Tarac Technologies to build an unknown number of townhouses.

“There were lots of concerns raised on the weekend because the residents feel there hasn’t been an appropriate level of consultation,” Mr Wanless said.

“The council says it has put out (documentation) for all ratepayers on the matter but it hasn’t really spoken with the people living in the 37 or so houses that sit on the perimeter of this site.”

Mr Wanless said residents with houses backing onto the western side of the site wanted a large buffer zone.

“There’s concerns about multistorey town houses overlooking people’s yards,” he said.

“The other major issue is if we’ve got hundreds of houses being built here, how many more cars will we have on the road?

“It’s a safety issue and an absolute nightmare.”

Mr Wanless said the residents will this week create a social media presence to extend support for highlighting their plight.

Old Reynella resident Bev Stevens, whose backyard overlooks a vineyard on the site, took to the Southern suburbs community Facebook page to express her concerns.

“The area cannot handle it, the schools are full and there are already 20-plus empty shops,” Ms Stevens wrote.

“Nobody of interest are listening to the locals.”

The council is awaiting the outcome of the planned zoning changes after a statement of intent was sent to Planning Minister John Rau for assessment.

A council spokesman said it was awaiting Mr Rau’s response expected mid next year before beginning the consultation process.

“At that time we will write to all adjacent landowners and invite them to make a submission and provide an opportunity to provide a verbal submission to the council at a public meeting,” the spokesman said.

Tarac Properties CEO Jeremy Blanks said the company planned to consult with the community in the new year.

“We have submitted our vision for the site to the council and are following the appropriate processes of master-planning, consulting and seeking approval for our plans,” Mr Blanks said.

“We anticipate seeking input from the community early 2018.”