Bisinella Developments hits council delays for Bellarine Peninsula housing estate
A developer has asked Geelong’s council to explain a four-month delay for a Bellarine Peninsula housing estate as work starts on an 1100-lot Lara project.
A developer has asked Geelong’s council to explain a four-month administrative hold-up delaying construction of a Bellarine Peninsula housing estate.
Bisinella Developments has called on senior managers at City of Greater Geelong to explain why it hasn’t provided feedback on a draft agreement, submitted in December, for the delivery of infrastructure as part of the Clarendon Park Estate at Drysdale.
Managing director Richard Bisinella said contractor Wellam Construction was due to start civil works this week, with a November completion target.
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A delayed start means a longer wait for buyers to start building their new homes.
The construction industry has avoided the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, with another estate breaking ground at Lara West this week.
“We provided a draft Section 173 agreement to the Council’s legal representative in December 2019, more than four months ago,” Mr Bisinella said.
“Since then, our lawyers and our team have been chasing Council and its legal team to seek approval for this agreement. Despite dozens of inquiries, the matter still remains unresolved.”
The agreement outlines the infrastructure the developer must deliver under the permit, as well as the community infrastructure levy Bisinella must pay to the council.
“We are very perplexed as to why this simple administrative task is taking so long to be approved and find Council’s action a contradiction against the efforts being made by Federal, State and businesses to maintain employment,” he said.
“We have raised the matter with senior management and requested the matter be investigated. We are doing everything we can to bring the matter to a swift resolution.”
After seeking a response from City Hall, director of planning, design and development Gareth Smith told the Addy the council was expecting to sign the agreement this week.
“The draft agreement is a complex funding agreement. Changes were required to the original agreement, however the City is expecting it should be able to be signed this week,” he said.
Bisinella and the council have a fractious history, including reaching a multi-million dollar out-of-court settlement after the developer launched a Supreme Court lawsuit relating to an industrial estate near the Geelong Ring Road.
Recently, the parties were headed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal over the 550-lot Lara Lakes Estate at Lara West.
Lara Lakes Estate now has a permit, with construction expected to start in 2021.
Meanwhile, Villawood Properties started its 1100-lot Coridale estate, also at Lara West, on target to provide titles for the first lots in early 2021 after contractors moved onto the O’Hallorans Rd site.
Villawood executive director Rory Costelloe said the construction industry held an important role in providing jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Villawood was the first developer with a permit at Lara West and we will be the first to start building,” he said.
“We’ve undertaken two new contracts — civil works by Bitu-mill at Coridale and a Drewan Park rebuild by BC Garden Construction at Wandana — which represent in the order of 150 new jobs.”
Originally published as Bisinella Developments hits council delays for Bellarine Peninsula housing estate