FRANKSTON Council has been disappointed by the response to its calls for developers to build a marina at the base of Olivers Hill.
Mayor Colin Hampton said that just "three or four" responses had been received so far and council had decided to re-advertise and extend the deadline to September 30.
"We didn't get enough expres
sions of interest," he said.
"A couple of companies were combined in their bids, some were on their own and some in consortiums."
Cr Hampton said the process of finding a developer could be stopped "and we'll just hang fire until the economic situation comes back".
"We know times aren't really good for high investment. We're sounding the market out and if there's no interest we'll wait until better times."
He said there was no sunset clause that would prevent the marina being built at any stage.
An official market-sounding exercise in 2006 by consultants Ernst & Young led to the council telling the State Government that the marina could only be profitable if it contained a dry boat storage area, more shops and accommodation.
Planning Minister Justin Madden agreed to the changes earlier this year.
The latest newspaper advertisement being run by the council states the marina lease will run for up to 60 years.
It describes the project as "an exciting opportunity to develop a significant and high-quality maritime and tourism destination". The ad carries the qualifier that "council is not obliged to select any of the respondents and invite them to submit a tender".
Council officers did not respond to questions about the timetable extension and new advertisements from The Independent by 2pm yesterday.
Frankston Beach Association says it is "gravely concerned" that the latest marina plans have not been "fully examined by the community or by experts and that serious questions as to the financial probity and viability of the project remain".
Association president Frank Hart said: "Frankston Council has been blinded by a so-called iconic development and has ignored and obfuscated many of the obvious financial and environmental problems relating to this development."
He said documents being given to potential developers were "lacking in clarity and certainty as to the financial, environmental and engineering requirements and to the various areas of responsibility".
"Uncertainty exists as to who will be responsible for overseeing the development, including overseeing the probity of gathering data and undertaking the coastal process modelling and ensuring that financial, environmental and engineering standards are properly met.
"If insufficient time is taken to gather the full range of necessary environmental data the modelling will be a waste of time and money, and a developer will not know what effect the marina will have on the Frankston beaches and on Daveys Bay."
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