Plans for tourism

By Kath Gannaway
PLANS for a major retirement village development in Healesville have been side-lined after the developer recently withdrew the planning application.
The owner of the Maroondah Highway site, Ron Haisma, who put the land back on the market, said while he was open to its development as a retirement village, he believed a tourist development and housing was a better plan.
At its 12 October meeting, Yarra Ranges Council deferred the application, which would have seen 109 units, made up of a mix of units and villas, a community centre indoor bowls area and other facilities built on the 10-acre site at the entrance to Healesville.
They called for a substantial redesign of the proposal to address a number of issues including vegetation, land elevations and visibility to the Maroondah Highway.
Council, at its 12 December meeting, refused a planning application after being advised that the applicant’s option to purchase the land had been withdrawn.
Mr Haisma confirmed to the Mail that he had put the land back on the open market as the proposed developer had failed to obtain the required planning permit. Mr Haisma said he purchased the property hoping there could be a tourist development on the highway and housing blocks at the rear.
“We could have about 30 blocks which would be of more value to the town, provide the housing we need and an attractive tourist facility on the highway,” he said.
“The land was rezoned to low density and to achieve this we would need to rezone, which I have been told would be a nightmare, and could take years,” he said.
The spokesperson for the proposed developer, real estate agent Stuart Greig, said without control over the land (an option to buy) they would not go ahead with their plans for a retirement village.
“The owner was not prepared to give us an extension of time, and we were not prepared to spend any more money on trying to meet the council’s demands for more plans without an option to buy,” Mr Greig said.
“Council wants to see changes to plans and more work done which will all cost money, but we’re not prepared to do that; it’s an unrealistic expectation,” he said.
Mr Greig said the land as zoned, is only useful for a retirement village, or similar development.
“You can’t subdivide into residential blocks; rezoning would take two years, and you would still have all the problems associated with vegetation removal,” he said.
Mr Greig said he had had strong support for the village and that it fitted in with Yarra Ranges Council’s identified need for more accommodation for people over 55.
“A lot of time and money has been invested but for it to happen the owner has to get realistic on his price and realise that Yarra Ranges Council doesn’t rush these things, and the Council needs to be more flexible,” he said.