Phillip Island plans to become a residential estate

[Matthew Ronke]

Herald Sun
Homes plan for Fox's GP site
Nicole Lindsay
Property Editor
09 August 2005

TRUCKING magnate Lindsay Fox is believed to be close to submitting plans for a $500 million residential development on Phillip Island.


The $500 million project is 10 times the scale of the $50 million hotel for which Mr Fox has a permit.

Property industry sources say Mr Fox plans to submit a proposal for 500 three-storey townhouses on the 274ha parcel of land where the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is run.

The development is believed to include a 27-hole golf course as well as the original 160-room five-star hotel with convention facilities.

Mr Fox bought the site, which includes the 106-hectare racing circuit with its 4.4km track, for $10 million last year.

Mr Fox's son, Andrew Fox, was not available for comment yesterday.

Bass Coast Shire is believed to have been briefed on the plans last week.

Bass Coast Shire chief executive Allan Bawden said there had been ongoing discussions with the Fox group over plans for the site.

"Lindsay Fox took ownership of the race course just over 12 months ago," Mr Bawden said.

"They've been developing a master plan for future use of the site."

The council had recently extended the hotel permit for a further two years, he said.

Some changes had also been made to the permit, but they were minor, he said.

"There's been ongoing discussions but nothing formal as yet."

The major residential plans are unlikely to get a warm reception from Planning Minister Rob Hulls, who is already unhappy with planning in Bass Coast.

Other developments still waiting for ministerial approval in the area south-east of Melbourne include a 27-hole resort-style golf course at Tarwin Cove, east of Inverloch, and a 200-unit eco-village at Cape Paterson.

Mr Fox made his money in trucking but he has recently made moves into entertainment.

He bought Luna Park in St Kilda for $7 million in June and is understood to be making a bid for the neighbouring St Kilda Triangle site, which takes in the Palais Theater and the Palace nightclub.

In partnership with Becton founder Max Beck, he is developing a $100 million business park and discount retail precinct at Essendon Airport.

[Raglanparade]

Is the racetrack closing ? or around the exisiting circuit ?

[racer69]

Does it matter?

If the houses are built close to the circuit, the residents will complain about the noise and it'll get closed down anyway.

A big song and dance was made when Lindsay bought it that the land bought was much more than just the racetrack. Presumebly the housing plans would be on other parts of his land, and will not affect the track.

[stmorri]

How much money do people like Lindsay Fox want? What can a person do with 20 million dollars that they can't do with 10 million dollars?......forget all the smartarse answers, you all know exactly what I am getting at!!!

[Raglanparade]

Do you think the Victorian Government would let a private developer put housing on a site that brings major tourism to the area a number of times a year?

Also, would have Lindsay Fox done all the recent improvements to the track with the intention of closing it down ?

[F J Nedos]

I question why you'd build so many townhouses there. As mentioned previously in this thread, even if the track doesnt get demolished, the surrounding residents of the new development will complain and the track will close. Therefore what would be left to do on Phillip island? You can only do so much penguin watching and its a bit of a fair old drive to melbourne...

[FPV GTHO]

This leaves a fair few questions unanswered...but from that it seems theres no mention of anything to do removing the circuit.

[brchi17]

Originally there was talk of the hotel being built near the tops of the cliffs where the camping area's currently are, just on the edge of the track, but never any talk of the track being closed to make way for any of the new development. There was also talk that Linfox was looking to buy the local airstrip in Woolamai, but there’s been no actual truth to back up that rumour.
cheers.

[inpitlane]

The worrying thing is the Fox groups constant refusal to make any firm comment on the tracks future except to say that the project had to run at a profit.
Clearly there's no future for a circuit like that to make a profit based on two international bike meets a V8 supercar race only 4 weeks out from Xmas, and the Historics. The VSRS and the AMRS rounds must run at a loss as would most of the smaller bike meets. The one thing the Fox spokesperson said when we interviewed him on In Pit Lane was that PI was not a racetrack anymore, it was an automotive themed recreation and corporate entertainment venue.
With PI looking dodgy and Sandown a year to year proposition at best, things are not looking good for future motorsport in Melbourne unless CAMS, Winton and Calder all kiss and make up, and after speaking with Bob last week that aint happening soon!

[hml2777]

and don't forget that the V8's are being run by AVESCO this year, and the V8's there are for this year only with no firm commitment for next year

[marcus]

well I certainly hope they dont shut the track down.

Ive never even managed to get there

[smokinJ]

any one remember Ansett and all the promoses that he and Lew made.
a lot of people got burnt
remember the Coles and Lew saga
the man isnt a fox he is a dog

if you lIe in bed with a fox you get fleas

[Robert Ryan]

From the Phillip Island Website, no doom and gloom there:
"Since it was acquired by Linfox in mid 2004 the circuit has had a $2million upgrade to meet international track standards. While the track is now amongst the best in the world, substantial further expenditure is expected over coming years to bring other circuit facilities into line with those of its international competitors.



Expansion of the circuit to include high quality accommodation and recreation facilities is an important step towards meeting international circuit standards. The expansion is also important for increasing year round use of the circuit as it will substantially improve the range of recreational opportunities for all circuit users. The circuit cannot secure its future without a broader mix of activities and revenues"

[hml2777]

Originally Posted by Robert Ryan

From the Phillip Island Website, no doom and gloom there:
"Since it was acquired by Linfox in mid 2004 the circuit has had a $2million upgrade to meet international track standards

half of which was paid for by the Victorian Govement

[Raglanparade]

How many 'profitable' events to other international bike circuits such as Assen, Brno, or Brands Hatch have ?

I dont think there are actually many circuits in the world that actually have more then 4-5 profitable events a year.

[dynamik gal]

The Phillip Is GP track site, as aquired by Linfox, is 274 hectares, that equates to 2,740,000 square metres (sqm), of which, 102 hectares is the track site. This leaves AMPLE space for 500 townhouses AND a sizeable 'noise barrier' section - land, trees, park - to comply with noise restriction/barrier property and construction laws.

The average townhouse site is around 350sqm, so if we up this to 400sqm per site, 500 townhouses would use up 200,000 sqm of build space (or 20 hectares); add a few more hectares for road and park space, so make it 30 hectares, this still leaves a good 120 odd hectares to play with for 'space' and 'noise barriers'.

To give you a size indication, the average home block in suburban Melbourne (and i'm assuming other states) is around 800sqm, times your home by 1,500 and that's how much space would be left after you build the town houses.

The noise you get from the Grand Prix track in Albert Park is much louder than what you'd ever get from Phillip Island, and houses are a mere 500m from the edge of the track there.

[Raglanparade]

Anyone remember Save Albert Park though ?

[retro]

Originally Posted by Matthew Ronke

Herald Sun
Homes plan for Fox's GP site
Nicole Lindsay
Property Editor
09 August 2005

TRUCKING magnate Lindsay Fox is believed to be close to submitting plans for a $500 million residential development on Phillip Island.


The $500 million project is 10 times the scale of the $50 million hotel for which Mr Fox has a permit.

Property industry sources say Mr Fox plans to submit a proposal for 500 three-storey townhouses on the 274ha parcel of land where the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is run.

The development is believed to include a 27-hole golf course as well as the original 160-room five-star hotel with convention facilities.

Mr Fox bought the site, which includes the 106-hectare racing circuit with its 4.4km track, for $10 million last year.

Mr Fox's son, Andrew Fox, was not available for comment yesterday.

Bass Coast Shire is believed to have been briefed on the plans last week.

Bass Coast Shire chief executive Allan Bawden said there had been ongoing discussions with the Fox group over plans for the site.

"Lindsay Fox took ownership of the race course just over 12 months ago," Mr Bawden said.

"They've been developing a master plan for future use of the site."

The council had recently extended the hotel permit for a further two years, he said.

Some changes had also been made to the permit, but they were minor, he said.

"There's been ongoing discussions but nothing formal as yet."

The major residential plans are unlikely to get a warm reception from Planning Minister Rob Hulls, who is already unhappy with planning in Bass Coast.

Other developments still waiting for ministerial approval in the area south-east of Melbourne include a 27-hole resort-style golf course at Tarwin Cove, east of Inverloch, and a 200-unit eco-village at Cape Paterson.

Mr Fox made his money in trucking but he has recently made moves into entertainment.

He bought Luna Park in St Kilda for $7 million in June and is understood to be making a bid for the neighbouring St Kilda Triangle site, which takes in the Palais Theater and the Palace nightclub.

In partnership with Becton founder Max Beck, he is developing a $100 million business park and discount retail precinct at Essendon Airport.

Fore! Fox unveils his big plans for Phillip Island
By Martin Boulton
August 10, 2005


Businessman Lindsay Fox has joined forces with golfer Greg Norman in a $100 million golf course and tourist accommodation development at Phillip Island.

Mr Fox's company, Linfox Property Group, bought the motor racing circuit at Phillip Island last year.

This week it lodged plans with Bass Coast Shire Council for an adjacent 18-hole golf course designed by Norman overlooking Bass Strait, a 163-room hotel, lodges and conference centre and 506 townhouses.

The company already has planning approval for a five-star hotel and restaurant on the 370-hectare site, but the new proposal is a radical expansion aimed at creating year-round use of the site.

Under the latest proposal, two accommodation villages would be built on the golf course and a third village would be built next to an area currently used for camping during the Australian leg of the international MotoGP.

In June The Age revealed that a consortium involving Mr Fox had paid $7 million for St Kilda's Luna Park and planned to restore the fairground to its former glory.


The trucking magnate is also among 15 bidders who want to redevelop the 'triangle site' beside Luna Park, now occupied by the Palais Theatre, the Palace Entertainment Complex and a car park.

Yesterday Mr Fox's son and Linfox managing director, Andrew Fox, said the circuit at Phillip Island, which also hosts the Superbike World Championship and a round of the Australian V8 Supercars, was among the best in the world, but its future could not be secured without a "broader mix of activities and revenues".

He said linking the hotel, townhouses and golf course with the circuit would "create a unique destination for motor sport enthusiasts, golfers and regional tourists" and elevate the racing circuit to international standards.

In May, after releasing the State Government's Coastal Spaces project, Planning Minister Rob Hulls warned he would crack down on golf course-style developments that were "really housing estates by stealth."

Coastal Spaces aims to protect Victoria's sensitive coastal areas from overdevelopment. It identifies Bass Coast as one of several "hot spots", with seven golf/housing developments proposed.

A spokeswoman for the minister said yesterday he had not seen the Linfox plan but at this stage expects he would become involved in the planning process only if the Bass Coast council asked the Government to rezone the land.

Greg Norman's design partner, Bob Harrison said yesterday that he and Norman were "pretty excited" about designing the golf course.

"You don't get a chance like this very often. At this moment this is about the only clifftop design going (in Australia) that I know of … and that's got some pretty dramatic appeal," Mr Harrison said.

Bass Coast chief executive Andrew Bawden said the council supported more tourist accommodation. But he stressed that support for the Linfox plan would depend on it fitting in "with the circuit and environmental values of the surrounding coastline" and that the council would continue to restrict any new residential development on the coast to existing townships.

The plans will be made available for public comment before the council makes any decision.

[djt46]

the age story is a truer reflection of what is going on. It includes an aerial photograph showing the layout. the majot development is the Greg Norman Golf Course, There is also the planned hotel and a large area of villa type housing, plus lodges. The indicatiosn are that this is all aimed at sports minded owners, similar to numerous such development s in the US.
Wealthy people who want to play golf, take their race car out on the track. As Fox now owns most of the land for some distance around the track it is hard to imagine the locals complaing, he is the locals!!
It's also aimed at getting ful international status for the track, BTW it does not have FIA approval!, so that more international events, rather than the overbearing TC and his Super Taxis can race there.

[Matthew Ronke]

This is what has been needed in motorsport for some time, a facility that can draw in new interest to motorsport. This should filter back through the rest of the industry. There have been many proposals put forward over the years but none have eventuated. With the Linfox support and business experience this may finally eventuate and give the industry a showcase venue.

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by djt46

BTW it does not have FIA approval!

And it never will get FIA approval unless they replace all the tyre walls with concrete walls & catch fencing all the way around.

On the noise front, that house that was built on the hill opposite the hayshed had heaps of convenants applied to it concerning the track there's no way the owner (or future owners) can complain about noise so long as the track operates within it's permit conditions.

[Raglanparade]

If they concrete it up... the bikes will leave.

[Chucky]

There must be a way of appeasing two and four wheelers and still meeting both sets of safety standards.

[Raglanparade]

At the moment it is a bike racing circuit that cars happen to just race on.

The bikes were not happy last season when they gravel traps were introduced at Turn 1, and the hairpin, and the gravel trap at the hayshed was extended. They prefer simple grassy run off.

As mentioned, if Phillip Island was to be brought up to FIA standards, it would need catch fencing all around the circuit. This would require a significant investment by Mr Fox, an investment that he would be unlikely to recoup in the short term.

As for the circuit itself.. the V8 supercars hit speeds of just over 200 through the final turn with that limited run off space. Increase the run off and you ruin the character of the circuit and decrease spectator space opposite the pits on the start finish line. A FIA GT car or a ALMS car would be well over 200 through that corner, which is maybe a bit too dangerous (even if the wall were concrete).

[djt46]

other tracks world wide host two and four wheel motor sport so they can surely come up with a safety solution that works for both.