Chinese property developer 3 Oceans has recently submitted a revised application to develop the old Contacio site on West Coast Highway.
While Beach Not Bitumen is not campaigning on the issue, we thought it was important to provide information for those of our supporters who are concerned about the 3 Oceans proposal.
The MRA is currently inviting public comment on the revised development application, and you can provide your comments via the MRA’s website.
The 3 Oceans twin tower proposal for Scarborough Beach has been resubmitted to the MRA.
3 Oceans Property Group’s initial proposal was to build two hotel and apartment towers of 43 and 35 storeys on the corner of Scarborough Beach Rd and West Coast Highway. The proposal was initially rejected by the MRA in December last year, with MRA Chairman Richard Muirhead describing it as a ‘significant over-development’ of the site.
The proposal contravened the planning framework and design guidelines prescribed by the MRA in the Scarborough Master Plan, which set limits of a maximum of 12 storeys. The MRA reserves discretionary power to approve developments up to 18 storeys. The towers were nearly four times the 12 storey limit and more than double the considered ‘absolute maximum’ of 18 storeys.
In a new proposal submitted to the MRA on March 16, 3 Oceans have revised the design of the towers, with changes including the east tower increasing in height from 35 to 38 storeys. The revised design includes numerous other changes as outlined in the architect’s summary report. If built, these towers would be two and half times the height of the Rendezvous Hotel.
A new group has formed to oppose the revised development proposal. ‘Sunsets Not Skyscrapers’ is encouraging people to make a submission to the MRA, opposing these oversized towers and supporting the current guidelines of a 12-18 storey height limit at Scarborough Beach.
The deadline for public comment is 15 April, and can be made here:
If you’d like to find out more information on the revised application, Sunsets not Skyscrapers spokesperson Janet Pettigrew invites you to join their People Pop Up – an informal meetup to connect people aiming to keep Scarborough’s buildings within human scale, within the current guidelines, and to protect the beach’s amenity and environment.
The People Pop Up is on Wednesday 28 March at 6.00pm, on the sand in front of the Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre. There will be fact sheets available to assist with your submission to the MRA on the 3 Oceans twin towers revised plans.
You can follow Sunsets Not Skyscrapers on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sunsetsnotskyscrapers
You can also get updates by signing up to the Sunsets Not Skyscrapers email list: https://goo.gl/forms/izbYYU1s2nj4Ao2Y2
Lastly, you can reach the campaign at sunsetsnotskyscrapers@gmail.com
For more information: 0404875379 or 0409886985 or 0411150200
Beach Not Bitumen 