PLANNING Minister Peter Gutwein has urged the West Tamar Council to scrap outlines for reticulated water at Greens Beach in favour of a golf course development worth up to $200 million.
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The council will vote on Tuesday on amending its planning scheme to make way for an 18-hole golf course redevelopment and 309-lot residential estate.
The Master Builders Association estimated the development would create 715 jobs and an associated economic activity of $425 million and $450 million in the Greens Beach area.
Originally, the council had advised the Eco Golf proponents that up to 120 lots could be developed within the zone before they were required to provide a reticulated water supply.
The stipulation would have secured running tap water for Greens Beach as well as properties passed at nearby Kelso and Clarence Point.
However, the proponent in June argued that supplying water and sewerage to the lots would make the development – valued between $175 million and $200 million – unviable.
Mr Gutwein wrote to West Tamar mayor Christina Holmdahl in October, advising the council to delete its requirement to allow for the development.
‘‘At the June meeting, the proponent’s consultants presented a case for a rainwater tank system as a viable alternate solution,’’ Mr Gutwein said.
‘‘The proposition is that consideration be given to amending the planning provisions ... to create an acceptable solution and-or performance criteria incorporating a rainwater tank option.
‘‘I encourage council to forward its response to the panel as soon as possible.’’
The council hosted a meeting at Beaconsfield on October 8 with Premier Will Hodgman, Mr Gutwein, Bass Liberal MHA Sarah Courtney, Lyons Liberal MHA Guy Barnett and Lyons Liberal MHR Eric Hutchinson.
Developers Ross Perrett, Peter Elliot and Tony Green, state adviser Tony McCall and TasWater’s Eamonn Tiemann and Eleanor Bray were also present.
The council said the development, if progressed, would bring a peak population of 2400 to Greens Beach, including tourists and visitors – a position it believes justifies the installation of reticulated water.
‘‘The state noted council’s position that water was appropriate to the expanded Greens Beach settlement, but did not agree that it was a necessary commitment to enable the Eco Golf proposal to proceed,’’ West Tamar municipal planner Michael Purves said.
‘‘The state preferred that the risk with the proposal is first tested and, if successful, then reticulated water services could be considered by TasWater as part of their strategic development program.’’
Mr Purves said it was evident that none of the parties represented at the Beaconsfield meeting believed a reticulated supply was necessary.
He said the council must now decide whether to install reticulation itself and hand it to TasWater, remove the requirement from the scheme, or retain its requirement and potentially lose the proposal.
