Mildura council urged to deny Dockside Dr development application

A major proposal to redevelop Mildura’s riverfront should not go ahead, according to council staff, despite locals backing the proposal.

Mildura councillors have been recommended to turn down a massive development of a new convention centre, hotel and apartments.

Plans to completely redevelop Mildura’s riverfront should not go ahead, according to council staff, despite locals being behind the proposal.

Mildura Rural City councillors will on Thursday consider the Dockside Dr development, which would include a new hotel, a convention centre and 28 new homes.

However, according to the council’s planning department, the new proposal does not meet the original plans submitted more than a decade ago.

“The proposal would not deliver the resort and conference centre envisaged by the Mildura Marina Resort Development Plan 2009,” the report states.

The development would not provide “attractive or identifiable” access to Mildura CBD and would “detract from the amenity and character of the area”, the report says.

Bett Woods owner of Sunraysia Marine is advocating for council approve the development of a hotel and houses off Dockside Dr.

Nearby Sunraysia Marine owner Brett Woods said the overwhelming majority of locals would like to see the major development go ahead.

“It was very short notice so we only managed to get about 20 odd people (to a planning meeting), but of that, only really two people were against it,” he said

“We’ve also put it out on social media and things and it seems to be getting a lot of traction.”

However, he felt it was unlikely the proposal would be approved, accusing the council of having “little to no appetite for approving any development applications”.

“I 100 per cent guarantee you that if it goes to VCAT they will approve it,” he said.

“It’s just that the planning department seems to have an attitude that they would rather deny it and have someone else take responsibility.”

The proposed development comes after more than a decade of inaction over the plot of land near Dockside Dr.

Originally there had been far larger plans submitted to the council in 2009 but that developer has since folded.

Mildura council will vote on the proposal on Thursday evening.