Hotel deadline extension rejected

By Alison Noonan
CASEY Council has refused to extend the deadline for the construction of a hotel in Lynbrook.
Council officers recommended at Tuesday night’s Planning Committee Meeting that an application for another year to complete the development of a hotel/motel, gaming and reception rooms, and restaurant on the South Gippsland Highway be rejected.
A report presented to council stated that two extensions had previously been granted since the original permit was issued in June 1998.
It said construction of the hotel, including minor earthworks and site preparation, had begun in May 2004 with the scheduled completion date set for June 2006.
The report said the hotel’s applicants had also requested modifications to the original plan, including the removal of the first floor level consisting of the motel and swimming pool, an increase in car parking, and increased ground floor accommodation.
Casey’s manager of planning Bob Baggio said to issue a third extension of time would be contrary to council’s recently adopted gaming policy, which was introduced in the wake of community concerns that the city was ‘overrun’ with pokies.
He said the main reason the application was rejected related to the site’s proximity to Greater Dandenong, where the State Government had capped the amount of pokie machines.
“In addition, council resolved in its submission to the Regional Electronic Machine Cap Review, which supported the inclusion of Lyndhurst/Lynbrook within the extended regional capped area, be given access and proximity to the existing ‘Greater Dandenong Plus’ capped area,” Mr Baggio said.
“The previous extensions of time granted for this development under the permit were approved before the adoption of this policy.
“At this time it is clear the development is in direct conflict with an adopted council policy,” he said. The hotel’s planning consultants Urbis failed to respond to calls by the time the News went to print.