Delegation Battles Mt Eliza Beach Bid

The Age

Friday January 5, 2007

CAMERON HOUSTON, CITY REPORTER

A DELEGATION of environmental groups and Hamer government planning minister Alan Hunt will meet Mornington Peninsula Council next week to try to halt a millionaire's plans to develop a historic Mount Eliza property.

The Age revealed this week that retirement home operator Charles Jacobsen has applied for the "alignment of five title boundaries" that would allow residential development on the foreshore estates of the late Sir Reginald Ansett and Myer family.

Conservation groups have branded the proposal "development by stealth", saying it is at odds with the green wedge provisions that established a minimum subdivision size of 40 hectares on the Mornington Peninsula.

Mr Hunt, the planning minister responsible for the introduction of the green wedge strategy in 1971, has expressed concern about the contentious proposal with the council's director of sustainable environment, Alex Atkins.

Pamela Warrender, the daughter of the late Norman Myer who owned part of the waterfront estate for more than 20 years, said the development plans were "disgusting" and "ill-conceived".

"We seem to be just throwing houses up with little consideration for the future, and there are some things we just can't put a dollar value on," Mrs Warrender said.

She said coastal planners had failed to heed the warnings of renowned architect Robin Boyd, who railed against urban sprawl in his 1960 book The Australian Ugliness.

"I understand property developers are a necessary evil, but we need to draw the line somewhere," Mrs Warrender said.

Mr Jacobsen recently advised the council that he intended to build up to four homes for his children on the property, which includes more than 500 metres of private beach currently used by the public.

Port Phillip Conservation Council president Len Warfe said he was staggered that the council had not rejected the proposal outright.

He vowed to take the battle to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal if the council approved the application and would not rule out a court challenge.

© 2007 The Age

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