Avoca Beach ‘caravan park’ proposal on public exhibition

The development application says it is a caravan park, but the grey nomads will be few and far between at this Avoca Beach site if a 57 two-storey “relocatable” homes get the nod.

An artist impression of one of the manufactured homes proposed for Avoca Beach.

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A proposal for a $22 million “caravan park” on the shores of Avoca Lake with places for just five caravans is back on public exhibition.

The controversial plan by Platinum Property Adviser No. 10 Pty Ltd seeks to instead install 57 two-storey three-bedroom “relocatable” dwellings on a 2.8 hectare site just off Round Drive at Avoca Beach.

The Bowtells Drive land was previously used for a caravan park for 50 years and the developer was granted council approval to upgrade the park in November 2011.

Some earth works started just prior to the approval lapsing in November 2016.

Impression of one of the long-term movable dwellings planned for Bowtells Drive at Avoca Beach.

Under that approval, the developer could have 16 long term, 98 short term and 7 camping sites.

But in the next 12 months, the vision changed and a proposal for a relocatable home park plan was lodged in 2017 and proposed 58 long term site (movable dwellings), nine short-term sites (caravan) seven camping sites and associated civil and landscaping works.

The latest version of the plan seeks 57 long-term sites, with five caravan parks in a western corner of the site.

The movable dwellings will be manufactured off site and later installed. The homes will all be two-storey three-bedroom double-garage designs.

New site plan for Avoca Beach caravan park.

A single level office and amenities building is also proposed near the site entry.

Nearby residents have already lodged numerous complaints about traffic, noise, environmental impacts, loss of privacy and overshadowing.

Rick Kinnaird has lived next door to the site for 30 years and urged council to limit the proposal to single story dwellings at the very least.

New site plan for Avoca Beach caravan park.

“I bought the block of land next to a caravan park. I had views of the lake. I did not buy it thinking that the land would be redeveloped and there would be 58 units facing into the yard, removing my lake views and taking with the beautiful natural habitat that many Australian native animals call home,” Mr Kinnaird wrote in his submission.

Another nearby resident Kirrily Griffiths said she also wanted the development limited to single storey dwellings.

“I am keen to see the Bowtell’s Caravan Park site be developed. I am however very concerned about the number of units being placed on that block,” Ms Griffiths said.

Existing community building and amenities block to be demolished on the Avoca Beach site.

“My main concern is the traffic congestion that will be caused on the Round Drive.

“The Round Drive already services a vast number of residents and their quality of life will be diminished with such a significant increase in traffic.

“I would also like to suggest that some single story residences be included.

“A family member of mine and long-term resident of Avoca, needed to move out of the area recently because they wanted to downsize but needed single story accommodation and none were available.”

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