Ratepayers million spent on Dendy Beach Pavilion despite no construction

MORE than $1 million of public money has been sunk into plans for a pavilion in one of Melbourne’s most affluent areas, but the project may never even get off the ground.

BAYSIDE Council has sunk more than $1 million of ratepayer cash into its problem-plagued Dendy Beach Pavillion redevelopment project — with no clear sign of when, or if, construction will begin.

Not a single shovel has gone into the ground for the project, which has been beset by issues since the plan to rebuild and expand the existing run-down lifesaving club was developed in 2012.

DENDY ST BEACH LIFE SAVING COMPLEX APPROVED BY COUNCIL

BAYSIDE COUNCIL ORDERED TO CLEAN UP BEACH AND REMOVE ASBESTOS

These have included a failure by the council to prepare an approved Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP), and asbestos being found at the site.

Such problems have stopped progress on the slated $8 million redevelopment dead.

The council has already burnt $500,000 developing multiple CHMPs and the associated legal fees, and the clean-up bill from an EPA order to remove asbestos found at Dendy Beach in January.

The rest of the cash has been spent designing the pavilion and developing the project masterplan.

Bayside Ratepayers’ Group co-ordinator George Reynolds called the project “a real mess”.

“It’s just another example of councils doing things they aren’t entitled to and causing a real problem for themselves,” he said.

“You look at the plan, it’s grand, it’s exotic, it’s a reception centre and restaurant, (but the) council should abandon it and go back to basics and just repair the lifesaving club and nothing more.”

The project would raze the existing Brighton Surf Life Saving Club building.

Either way, construction cannot begin until the council gets its CHMP signed off by State Government body Aboriginal Victoria.

It has already knocked back two previous CHMPs prepared by the council.

Rather than prepare a third CHMP, the council has taken Aboriginal Victoria to VCAT in an attempt to get its latest CHMP approved.

The unprecedented move shocked many observers, as this is believed to be the first time a Melbourne council has launched such an action against Aboriginal Victoria.

Bayside Council environment director Steven White said “expert advice” given to the council stated “all relevant requirements have been met in relation to the CHMP through responses provided to Aboriginal Victoria through its first request”.

“On two occasions Aboriginal Victoria has delayed the approval of (the) council’s cultural heritage management plan through requests for further information,” he said.

“Having received a further, second request for information, (the) council has exercised its right to appeal and requested the matter be formally reviewed by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.”