Hans Lovejoy
With the ink barely dry on the approved DA for an exclusive restaurant bordering Scarrabelotti’s lookout, owners Paschal Grenquist and Yuuka Shibasaki have listed their 11 acre property for sale.
Plans for a restaurant at the Scarrabelottis Lookout. Image from DA courts of Byron Council.
Apart from the yet to be built restaurant, the land comprises dual occupany homes with a ‘resort style pool’.
Staff recommended – and a councillor majority supported – access for the 40-seat restaurant to be a public lookout despite concerns from neighbours over increased traffic and amenity impacts.
It also puts into question Council’s policy of dual occupancies, which was to support affordable housing.
The policy has increasingly been used to expand wealthy property portfolios.
During the DA exhibition, neighbours argued that using part of the lookout area for restaurant parking – which was contained in the first iteration of the plan – was completely inappropriate because this land was donated by the Scarrabelotti family for community use.
There was no indication that the owners were going to sell once the DA was approved.
Greens Council candidate Duncan Dey told The Echo, ‘The report to Councillors on 18 June, when they approved the DA, said the proposal included plans to “embellish the lookout (which is located within the road reserve) as it provides access to the restaurant site”.
‘In other words, the traveller will arrive not knowing much about property boundaries and probably get the impression the lookout belongs to the restaurant. Fred Dagg would turn in his grave.
‘Assuming the restaurant is permissible in the “7(d) Scenic Escarpment” zoning of the property, access should have been arranged at its northern end instead of through the guts of the Lookout, which was donated to us, the public, by Frank Scarrabellotti’.
Another blight on our rural landscape thanks to a rancid Council.
Those Councillors responsible should hang your heads in shame, then resign.
You have sold out your constituents … remember us ? …the people who actually live here and vote !
Dare say the proponents of the D.A. (who were rewarded by Council’s decision )aren’t residents or registered voters.
Just fly-by-nighters out to make a buck. Exactly what is killing this place.
Can’t wait for the next election to get rid of these traitorous Councillors. SHAME !!!
Once again, greed has won. Lots of money to be made and screw the kocals. Shame on you Byron Council and the developers.
Rossco Phillips you are such a dill.
Councillors take into account the overall benefits to the local community, tourism, employment opportunities, environmental impact, community access etc.
Like all good Greenies you would lock up this country and throw away the key.
I am an environmentalist, I believe the environment, business and agriculture can all coexist with the environment actually winning. It just takes more effort and deeper thought and it is possible.
When it comes to councils and property developers “expect the worst and you will never be dissapointed” !
Cheers , G”)
Who are the developers, would love to hear their response to concerns and issues raised by community. Well according to the Mayor the restaurant owner will be footing the bill for the costs of turning the public look out into a beautiful car park. Hope it doesn’t include a gate to keep us out! Lucky us.
Are the Rate-payers and community to be further exploited in this ‘them and us’ policy? We are living in times of a killer virus many businesses suffering, many people struggling an unknown future for the Nation.
It has ever been that the high end elite must have the best as they eat their quail under glass and the rest of the folk must put another cup of water in the soup! Sort of vulgar.
Where is the Scarrabellotti’s gift to the community? Why has the Will never been honored by Council? Why has the land never been designated to the Community? When will Council explain these questions to the community? Who are the lawyers governing Council in this whole process? Why was Council sitting on the ‘gift’? Finally, ‘Who Gains Your Honor?”