VCAT to consider amended planning permit for retirement village

Published on 16 April 2024

An amended planning permit application for a retirement village in Cypress Lane, Torquay will be considered at an upcoming hearing at VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal).

Surf Coast Shire Council decided at a Special Council Meeting on 16 April 2024 to support amended plans for the proposed development. The amendments were considered acceptable under the Surf Coast Planning Scheme and Planning and Environment Act.

“We acknowledge the ongoing community interest in this proposal,” Mayor Liz Pattison said. “The amended plans will be considered as part of the VCAT appeal, which was lodged by nine joint applicants and objectors following Council’s original decision on the retirement village proposal.”

Council decided to issue a Notice of Decision to Grant a Planning Permit for the use and development of a retirement village in Cypress Lane in August 2023. The initial proposal relied on Council selling Cypress Lane and a portion of nearby public land, and discontinuing the road.

In October 2023, Council did not approve the sale of land and discontinuance of Cypress Lane. Given the public roadway and reserve would be retained, the applicant subsequently amended its plans.

The amended proposal - located in a Low Density Residential Zone - consists of 191 independent living units (reduced by five), 334 resident car parking spaces (reduced by 21) and 43 visitor parking spaces (increased by five).

Setbacks from the western boundary, which adjoins residential land, have been reduced: the two-storey building setback is 35.32m (previously 49.6m) and the three-storey building setback is 73m (previously 93m).

The two apartment buildings in the south-eastern corner bordering Deep Creek have reduced in height from three-storey to two-storey with a maximum height of 7.39m.

“The proposed development has generous boundary setbacks and landscaping plans that capitalise on the existing vegetation, to respect the character of the area. To help achieve this, Council has proposed modified conditions for VCAT to consider,” Mayor Pattison said.

The five-day VCAT hearing is scheduled to start 29 April 2024.