CONCERNS have been raised over a planned reduction in car parking spaces on the Blairgowrie foreshore.
Plans on the Whitecliffs to Camerons Bight Foreshore Reserve management committee website show the revamped car park will have 44 parking spaces, 13 less than at present.
An aerial photograph of the car park in summer shows 60 cars parked there with one unoccupied disabled space.
The committee says the Sevilles car park, off Point Nepean Road opposite The Loop, needs a “facelift”.
Plans drawn up for the committee include a new toilet block, landscaping, better separation of vehicles and pedestrians, “a proper bay trail” and a viewing deck.
The works are proposed to be carried out as money becomes available.
Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Steve Holland last month said the council had been unfairly criticised on social media for the proposed car park changes which was managed by the committee, not the shire (“Shire hires ‘satisfaction’ survey team” The News 4/7/23).
For its part, the committee says it is “eager to gather valuable feedback from our community members”.
“We understand that the designs we create should be reflective of the needs of all stakeholders who use the Whitecliffs foreshore area,” the committee states on its website. “By incorporating the insights and perspectives of our community, we can ensure that our infrastructure is not only functional but also tailored to the unique characteristics of the area.”
Resident Andrea Allen said the proposed changes at the Sevilles car park followed “upgrades to other nearby foreshore reserve car parks that have also resulted in a reduction of car spaces”.
“Car parking is a huge issue in this area over summer. During the Christmas New Year period the streets behind the yacht club are regularly filled with cars. This significant reduction in car park spaces is only going to make the situation worse.”
Allen said concerns had also been raised about the safety of locating a toilet block in the middle of the car park.
Comments on the plans for the Sevilles car park can be made until Sunday 30 July online at whitecliffs.com.au
First published in the Mornington News – 25th July 2023
