Drugs cocktail

THE proposal for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation hospital at Loch may yet head to the state’s peak planning authority, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

South Gippsland Shire Council last Wednesday voted to approve the proposal for Clarence Street, despite 34 objections from the community.

The Loch community is now considering its options and has not ruled out the possibility of asking VCAT to review council’s decisions.

The proposal attracted significant support when The Star asked readers, via Facebook, for their reaction to the news, attracting 6650 views.

On Facebook, Rob van Rooy said objectors were misinformed and welcomed the hospital, giving an arousing account of his own family’s experience with drugs.

“My son is currently undergoing treatment for drug addiction. It is costing his family well over $40,000 at this stage,” he said.

“We have also travelled upwards of 18,000km in the last four months in support of him. Add to that using all my available sick days along with most of my long service leave.

“The cost to my other children and my partner of my absence also creates a major strain. My parents who are quite elderly only have seen their grandson three times in four months, all because there is no facility locally.

“My son’s rehab is a peaceful, supportive, caring and well managed facility in the heart of a residential suburb. I have no doubt without this rehab my son would be 90 days closer to death. He has been able to grasp a second chance with many others in the same boat as him. They are learning to live again.”

The proposal is for a private hospital for alcohol and drug rehabilitation for up to 20 patients.

The site at 13 Clarence Street has formerly been Greenhills Aged Care Hostel, a branch of Korumburra Medical Centre and a respite centre run for accident victims.

Director of the proponents, Melbourne-based Australian Addiction Hospitals, Sankar Subramanian, said the company would plan and schedule renovations once council issues the permit.

“We are definitely proceeding with the proposal. It’s been a long, involved process and we are very confident that we will bring a quality hospital to Loch, one that fits in with and supports the community,” he said.

Councillors’ grounds for approving the centre were largely because the site had a history of being used as a hostel.

“It’s always difficult when you have a facility in a residential zone and I would have strong concerns about this application if it was a greenfield site,” Cr Jim Fawcett said.

“But the facility has been there for many years and I have not been convinced by the objectors they have significant relevant planning issues.”

Cr Fawcett said he hoped the hospital would become a “good corporate citizen” and within 12 months, the community’s fears would be allayed.

Cr Mohya Davies said Loch was a “beautiful village” and said as the proponent had operated a similar facility in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern without issue, she was confident the same would occur at Loch.

“This will be an opportunity for Loch. This will bring jobs and economic activity for Loch,” she said.

“I believe Loch is an ideal place for these people and to help these people get back on track.”

Cr Jeanette Harding opposed the hospital, saying it would harm the town’s artistic and cultural reputation, and village atmosphere.

Cr Don Hill said local addicts would benefit.

“Our community should be to care for its own and not send them to another place,” he said.

Cr Lorraine Brunt objected, saying, “Loch has had to work together since the bypass went through. They have given themselves something to build their town on and they have done it themselves.”

She said the community had suggested the site become an accommodation centre to support events in town.

Cr Andrew McEwen said patients’ fees were $20,000 for four weeks and said most local residents would not be able to afford the cost.

“My view is this is likely to go to VCAT and VCAT is the right umpire,” he said.

Cr Nigel Hutchinson-Brooks said many health insurance companies would pay the fees and so local residents could also be treated.

He added that in 2006, another company, Remar, began operating a drug and alcohol addiction facility at Nyora. Ten years on, he was not aware of any complaints about it.

The proposal was approved with the votes of councillors Fawcett, Hutchinson-Brooks, Hill, Davies and mayor Bob Newton. Crs Brunt, Harding and McEwen were against.

The site adjoins Loch Bowling Club, and is close to the town’s kindergarten and primary school.

The premises requires some building works.

Visitors would be restricted to two guests per patient for three hours on a Sunday.

Council imposed conditions requiring fencing to ensure patients are not able to exit the site to Naylor Lane or Clarence Street, and the facility is screened from adjoining land and Naylor Street.

The 34 objections spanned safety, traffic, parking, noise, incompatibility with surrounding residents, negative effect on tourism, lack of services and perceived decrease in land values.

Up to 20 single occupancy rooms are proposed with a maximum of seven staff during the day and two at night. Four staff are proposed on weekends.

Patients are proposed to be admitted for four week periods as part of their rehabilitation program.

Council’s director of development services Bryan Sword said, “Tourist services and facilities can still be promoted through other development opportunities, and it is considered a majority of visitors to the town would be unaware of such a facility existing.

“This is because the facility will not be actively promoting or directing people to its location and because its patients will have limited interaction with the community.”

A planning permit will be issued in 28 days if no appeals are lodged to VCAT seeking a review of council’s decision.

Protecting Loch’s reputation: opponents to the private drug and alcohol rehabilitation hospital South Gippsland Shire Council approved for Loch were residents, front, from left, Heather McCloy, Mary Ham, Sybil Leris and Caroline Small. Middle: Mel Davies and Heidi Hamm and son Gus, and back, Brett Hamm and Chris Cronin.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Dec 1 2015. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry