Unhappy camper

Alex de Vos
A neighbour has slammed a councillor for revealing he could carve up eight hectares of farmland at Torquay for a caravan park.
Spring Creek land owner Brock Thompson said Surf Coast Shire council rejected his own bid for a caravan park when Keith Grossman joined other councillors to vote 5-4 against the proposal in 2006.
Mr Thompson was “disappointed” his neighbour might now take over the caravan park opportunity.
“It does seem very strange he would vote against something then might apply for the same thing later on,” Mr Thompson said.
“He’s got every right to make a proposal but I’m disappointed.
“This leaves us in a very awkward situation.”
Mr Thompson said Torquay had a “desperate need” for low-budget-style accommodation.
“I’d love to get a caravan park in Torquay and I think there would be enough demand for both parks,” he said.
Mr Thompson said he had also raised plans for a new aged care facility on his land at Torquay before Cr Grossman “grabbed the idea”.
“I made approaches for aged care – it was my idea full stop,” Mr Thompson said.
Property developer and part-owner of The Surf Coast Times Mark Casey is behind a 300-unit retirement village under construction on Cr Grossman’s land.
Cr Grossman told the Independent last week that potential developers had contacted him expressing interest in his land for a caravan park.
“But we’ve got to wait for the rezoning,” he said.
Cr Grossman said he had earmarked an eight-hectare site in the shire’s Spring Creek urban growth corridor.
The shire appointed consultants earlier this year to prepare a framework for development of the 600-hectare growth corridor.
Cr Grossman said a camping ground on his land would be limited to caravans and motor homes.
“There won’t be any cabins,” he said.