The Villarica Estate has been hit with restrictions after Adelaide Hills Council received several noise complaints
It’s one of the Adelaide Hills’ most prestigious function venues, but it now faces hefty restrictions after a string of complaints to the local council.
A luxurious Adelaide Hills property known for its prestige and exclusivity for functions has been hit with hefty restrictions, after the local council received a series of noise complaints.
The Villarica Estate, on Bandicoot Lane at Mylor, had become one of South Australia’s “most prestigious and elegant hideaways” for its Tuscan-style aesthetic, according to its website.
The four-bedroom, 12,000 sqm property became a sought after venue, with the owners placing it for hire on Airbnb for functions such as weddings for around 70 people.
Following complaints from a neighbouring property, it has been restricted to intimate celebrations for up to 15 people, overnight stays for up to eight guests or photo shoot sessions.
A spokesperson for Adelaide Hills Council said it had received several complaints this year about noise from the property.
An enforcement notice under the Planning Development & Infrastructure Act 2016 was issued by the council.
However, the council said it was willing to work with the property owners if they decided to submit an application that would allow the premises to host larger events again.
Property co-owner Yazan Akeel acknowledged noise complaints had been made but he did not believe the noise came from the property.
“There’s been some unfortunate misunderstanding or confusion about the source of the noise,” Mr Akeel said.
“We are co-operating with the council to clarify the situation and ensure that any future use of the property aligns with the community expectation.
“We remain committed to preserving the natural beauty of the area and to always being respectful, responsible neighbours.”
Mr Akeel said they had allowed only eight stay-bookings in the past year and any activity at the property had respected “the environment and neighbours”, including turning the music off at 10pm.
“We have lovingly maintained the property for many years in the Hills. From time to time, we’ve hosted small gatherings and community-minded celebrations so others can enjoy the beautiful surroundings,” he said.
But one neighbour – who asked to remain anonymous – told The Advertiser a “natural amphitheatre” surrounding the property had caused noise levels to drastically increase.
“The noise from there travels (around) this great big circle and creates more volume by the ways it’s situated,” the resident said.
They said the noise levels “have been building up” since the property opened to the public but usually ended before midnight.
“Saturday nights during summer, it’s loud,” they said.
“Sometimes I think there might be afterparties because people rent the space for the whole weekend. If you spend like $3000 to $6000, you don’t want to turn your music off at 11.”
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Originally published as The Villarica Estate has been hit with restrictions after Adelaide Hills Council received several noise complaints
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