Retroactive plans have been put forward to create an outdoor “private members club” in Flatts.

According to the planning application, Lazy Corner would be an extension of the neighbouring Brightside Apartments and Spa featuring televised sports, live music and food.

While the proposal has received support from some Flatts Village businesses, management for the nearby Palmetto Gardens condominium raised concerns that the project would cause noise and traffic problems.

The Lazy Corner application was submitted earlier this year after the Department of Planning contacted the owners about unauthorised development on the site including the instillation of a food truck and paving stones on the foreshore parcel of land.

In a proposal document included in the application, Michael Lightbourne said Lazy Corner would expand on services offered at the Brightside and create an additional amenity for guests.

“Members will be able to sit back and relax, seven days a week, especially holidays, on comfortable ‘South Beach style’ loungers, and enjoy the sights and guest performances, whilst sipping a favourite beverage,” he said.

“If they fancy a bit of fun, they might try their hand at a game of billiards, on an outdoor table, or a game of darts, depending on skill level.”

Mr Lightbourne added that he intended to build a “community-wide spirit of support and neighbourhood revitalisation” through a weekly Harbour Night in Flatts Village in the Summer months and Christmas lights throughout the Flatts Village area.

“The whole intent is my three-pronged approach of serving breakfast, providing takeout and food delivery, and the private membership club Lazy Corner to spearhead a comprehensive revitalisation of Flatts Village,” he said.

Mr Lightbourne said he hoped to launch a water taxi service to ferry guests to and from Dockyard and a shuttle service.

He added: “It is public record that my personal journey to create a thriving entrepreneurial gem within historic, quaint, and colourful Flatts Village has been repeatedly beset with countless efforts from dissenters to dissuade and discourage what, I believe, to be my youthful forward-thinking approach of welcoming essential growth and progress while preserving the natural beauty and charm of Flatts Village and specifically Lazy Corner.

“These efforts have and currently enjoy overwhelming praise from the community.”

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ML - Lazy Corner Proposal-1.pdf

However a letter of objection from Adwick Planning, on behalf of Palmetto Gardens, said the application provided few details about how the membership club would operate.

The letter said that the activities mentioned in the letter amounted to a “significant intensification” of the site and questioned the availability of parking in the area.

“During busy lunchtime and evening periods the parking facility is often full,” the letter said. “It does not have the capacity to cater for additional activities that may take place at the application site.

“Already Palmetto Gardens suffers from its parking spaces being used as overflow parking for the activities at Brightside and Rustico. The proposed new operation will exacerbate the problem of trespassers trying to park on PGL property.

“These additional activities should require dedicated parking facilities but there is insufficient space either within the site or at Brightside. Nor should it be permitted to rely on the parking facility opposite the Aquarium.”

The letter also said the proposal would likely increase foot traffic across North Shore Road because of the parking issues as well as a lack of bathroom facilities at the site.

“In the absence of these details it is to be presumed that the intention would be to make facilities available at the Brightside resort but this would result in pedestrians constantly seeking to cross North Shore Road to reach these facilities,” the objection letter added.

“This can only exacerbate the potential for conflict between pedestrians and vehicles at this site.”

The letter also said the proposal would bring “potential for noise and disturbance” that will impact those who live in the area.

“The prospect of live entertainment or simply broadcast music which will emanate from the site would be likely to reverberate around Flatts inlet due to the geography of the area and could affect many residents,” the letter added.

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2211_220516_PGL Objection Ltr.pdf