The proposal for the five-storey 89-unit Lakewood Lifestyle Village by Sea Eagle Properties was refused by NSW Regional Planning Panel

The plan drew a strong negative reaction from parts of the community after concept images were released in public exhibition by Bega Valley Shire Council in 2022.

The regional planning panel stated the project would not fit the aesthetic of the town of Merimbula, 448km south of Sydney, and Issues raised included its visual impact, privacy concerns, noise, environmental impact and the scale of the plans.

The documents also cite community backlash and state the development would not be in the town’s best interest overall.

“I come across a lot of people who are semi-retired, looking to fully retire, but they have to move interstate because there’s really nowhere for them to downsize into senior unit style housing on the south coast,” Coastal Property Group Merimbula realtor Tammy Carroll told The Daily Telegraph.

“I know a lot of elderly people in the area who go on waiting lists to get into the few senior housing areas we have because there just isn’t enough, which is why they move.”

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