Pizzateca expansion sparks feud with neighbours over function centre

One of McLaren Vale’s most popular pizzeria owners is expanding his function centre – but neighbours say their fears were ignored by the local council.

The owner of a beloved McLaren Vale pizzeria is fighting back against claims a 250-seat function centre and an expanded carpark development could force a neighbouring bed and breakfast out of business.

Pizzateca owner Tony Mitolo has started work on the centre that will take the licensing capacity of his Chalk Hill Rd business up to 400 people.

Friends at McLaren Vale B&B and other neighbours say Onkaparinga Council never told them of a development assessment panel meeting and claim their written submissions about noise, traffic and a carpark expansion were ignored.

Tony Mitolo announced construction on the expansion has begun. Picture: Stephen Laffer

However, Mr Mitolo said the plans were approved and he had invested time and money into ensuring the development “fit into the vernacular”.

“We’ve spent money on traffic consultants, sound consultants, we’ve measured sound at the peak of Pizzateca … All this stuff has been considered,” he said.

“They put in their objections when it went to council and the council have approved us.

“All of his (the B&B operator’s) concerns – as I tried explaining to him over the fence the other day – have been addressed.

Pizzateca, McLaren Vale. Pic: Jessica Galletly

“I’m not doing this as an ego trip. I’m doing it because it’s what people want – people want to create memories in McLaren Vale.”

Friends at McLaren Vale B&B owner Peter Kimber said the function centre bordering his property would likely drive customers away as noise and traffic increased.

He claimed parking would encroach within 25m of his back deck and 30m from guest bedrooms, but Mr Mitolo said the expansion had been done more than a year ago and “remained over 150m away”.

Mr Kimber said: “You can imagine that if they have functions – particularly at night – with cars departing around midnight, it’s going to be absolute bedlam. I sell sleep, I sell serenity … That’s just going to go out the window now.

“I can see my B&B business eventually shutting down. I’m currently getting a 9.5 out of 10 rating, but once you get a couple bad reviews on Booking.com, well, you know what happens – people just stop coming.”

Pizzateca in McLaren Vale. Picture: Lewis Potter,

Construction has already begun on the latest development from the owner of Pizzateca in McLaren Vale. Picture: Facebook

Nearby resident Martin Lightfoot said his written submissions had seemingly gone unnoticed.

“The thing we’re fighting for is to get the carparking out of there, but the council’s saying ‘no, it’s been approved by the planning board and therefore we can’t do anything about it’,” he said.

“It’s an issue which is absolutely ridiculous that it can’t be solved. There’s a review board who approve all this sort of stuff which three of us were meant to speak at, but we weren’t invited – council forgot to invite us.”

Construction has already begun on the latest development from the owner of Pizzateca in McLaren Vale. Picture: Facebook

An Onkaparinga spokesman said the council was in discussions with concerned residents, who had been informed of their “limited” appeal rights under planning laws.

There “may be an opportunity” for locals to seek judicial review via Supreme Court action, he said.

“Council itself does not have the powers to reverse or rescind a planning decision in any circumstance,” he said.

“In relation to residents’ concerns about traffic and noise, the applicant was required to provide both a traffic management plan and an acoustic engineer’s report. These reports were considered by the Council Assessment Panel.”

Originally published as Pizzateca expansion sparks feud with neighbours over function centre