WILLIAMSTOWN’S foreshore could become home to a new $11 million marina and commercial precinct if two boating clubs agree to share their sea-bed leases with a local developer.
Anchorage Marina owner Terry O’Hare has approached Hobsons Bay Yacht Club and Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club about the proposal to replace the clubs’ existing marinas with a facility to accommodate about 370 yachts, cafes, restaurants and maritime enterprises.
While the project, called Nelson Place Marina Development, hinges on approval from the council, Parks Victoria and the terms of a pending lease renewal for the Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club (RVMYC), both clubs have indicated early support.
Mr O’Hare said it was too early to discuss the project with Star but RVMYC Commodore Michael Byers said the developer had indicated it would cost him about $11 million.
Mr Byers said Mr O’Hare had asked the two clubs to provide “seed money” for an initial feasibility study before final plans were drawn up.
He said the initial proposal was for Mr O’Hare to finance the bulk of the capital works in exchange for fairways to allow boat access to about 50 berths the developer would build for himself within the complex.
Mr O’Hare also planned to build a dry-berthing facility at Knights Slipway, where he owns the leasehold.
Mr Byers said RVMYC hoped to receive 60 additional berths out of the arrangement, bringing the total available to the club to 140.
“It’s a pretty ambitious project and it’s very much in its initial stages but our club thinks it’s a good arrangement,” Mr Byers said.
“We’ve got to sort out our own club lease with Parks Victoria and once we sort that out it gives us an idea where we are going and then we can make a decision,” he said.
Hobsons Bay Yacht Club commodore Pat Caruso said the club was also angling for an additional 60 berths out of the deal, bringing its total capacity to 180 boats.
“He (Mr O’Hare) has proposed to do the development and then lease back to us a certain number of pens,” Mr Caruso said.
“But we still have a number of rules we would have to work out and one of them is the long-term tenure agreement, because he would be dependent on both our club and the RVMYC to become party to the deal.”
Acting district chief ranger for Port Phillip, Sonja Bertotto, said Parks Victoria was aware of the proposal.
She said Parks Victoria would consider any proposal for a new marina development as part of a review of boating fairways.
“There’s not really much room for on-water berthing at the moment so maybe condensing them (the two clubs’ marinas) could make some logical sense,” Ms Bertotto said.
But a Hobsons Bay council source said Mr O’Hare’s project could hit a stumbling block when it comes before the council.
“He’s got very grand plans for what is essentially a very sensitive area of Williamstown’s foreshore,” the source said.
“As I understand it, part of what’s being proposed is a hard stand to repair large boats and that would entail a great big tin-roofed warehouse that would be pretty intrusive along that strip.”
