Wantirna Caravan Park townhouse plan rejected by Knox Council

PLANS to develop Wantirna Caravan Park have been slammed as failing “in so many key areas” that the council could not approve them — but 200 permanent residents of the park will still be booted out.

Protesters cheered last night’s decision at Knox Council, but are still resigned to losing their homes.

PLANS to develop the Wantirna Caravan Park site have been slammed as having “fundamental” problems that “fail in so many key areas” Knox Council could not approve them.

The 294-townhouse proposal was knocked back at last night’s council meeting, after a report found the design had drainage issues, lack of open space, cramped townhouses, narrow roads, and trees planted in “inappropriate and unfeasible locations”.

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Speaking to the Leader after the meeting, Mayor Darren Pearce said the proposal had “serious” problems.

“We’re talking about drainage, a lack of open space — these are fundamental problems,” Cr Pearce said.

“A lot of planning applications we get, often we can approve them subject to a number of conditions.

“This one fails in so many key areas there’s just no way we can approve this.

“The ball’s in the developer’s court it’s up to them if they want to pursue that in VCAT.”

But at the meeting, Cr Peter Lockwood said while it was important to refuse the proposal, it was “only delaying the inevitable”.

“There will be a redesign, there will be a VCAT hearing and down the track I’m certain we will see development at the site,” Cr Lockwood said.

Councillors voted unanimously against the planning permit, which drew applause from the gallery, including residents from the park who held up protest signs.

Wantirna Residents Action Group spokesman Peter Gray said it was a “fantastic” decision but wouldn’t stop them being booted from their homes.

“Unfortunately Wantirna (Caravan) Park will close no matter what,” he said.

About 200 permanent residents will be forced out of the park by January next year.

Mr Gray expected the developer, Longriver Group, to appeal the decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

“Eventually the powerful developer will get his own way with another design that will be slightly adjusted to suit,” Mr Gray said.

“He probably has another plan already to go, so in time there will be another development and we’ll just be a memory.”

The townhouse plans were lodged with the council in December last year and showed there would be 169 four-bedroom townhouses and 120 with three bedrooms.

In her report, Knox Council senior planner Nancy Neil said that would be “overdevelopment”.

The report said the design would “result in an unreasonable impact on the character of the area and result in poor internal amenity for future residents”.

Longriver Group has been approached for comment.