The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Monday refused to grant a permit to Ryman Healthcare’s proposed $200 million-plus retirement village and aged care facility at Mt Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula.

Ryman Healthcare’s plan is to provide 181 independent apartments, 48 assisted living suites and 82 aged care beds, which includes low care, high care, specialist dementia, and respite care, on a 8.9ha site, Moondah Estate, it bought from The University of Melbourne in 2017.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council refused the development, stating the large-scale residential retirement and aged care facility was an inappropriate development at odds with amenity of the surrounding Green Wedge.

Ryman Healthcare took its planning application to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal seeking to have the council’s rejection overruled.

“Today’s decision by VCAT upholds the importance of that issue for our community,” said Mornington Peninsula Shire Council Mayor Despi O’Connor.

“I’d like to thank our current and former councillors and make special mention of the huge effort from the broader community and their ongoing commitment to protecting this unique feature of the Mornington Peninsula.”