SEPPELTSFIELD’s proposed $50 million ‘Oscar’ luxury hotel has been shifted and shortened, in response to concerns within the community about its visual impact on the surrounding area.

The project is currently before Light Regional Council and proposes a 12-storey building with 71 rooms, ancillary dining, welcome lounge, bars, viewing deck, day spa, swimming pool and gym, and undercroft carparking.

Last week, it was announced the Oscar has moved from the eastern slope of the Great Terraced Vineyard, of Seppeltsfield Estate, further down the gully to Greenock Creek, while the height has been reduced by 10 metres, to take four metres off the visual height.

The change is expected to eliminate the hotel’s visibility from Greenock.

Visibility will be retained from certain vantage points along Seppeltsfield Road, and from the eastern side where Seppeltsfield Road meets Peter Seppelt Road.

The development is being funded and driven by a group of South Australian business leaders.

“The Barossa is famous for its wine, food, and spectacular sights, but what it needs is an iconic luxury hotel to cater to local and international guests that visit the region,” project spokesman Toby Yap said.

“South Australian Tourism Commission research has shown a real gap in the marketplace for higher-end travellers, with only 28 out of 161 accommodation options being rated at 4-stars or above.

“We are confident that the Ocsar will fill this gap and set the global standard for luxury regional travel.

“We are extremely confident in the demand for tourism in the Barossa for now and the future.

“The new six-star accommodation will attract new markets to the region and drive growth in domestic and international visitor economy, while creating an additional 363 construction jobs and 350 ongoing jobs for the region once operational.

“Oscar is expected to bring an additional $90 million in tourism expenditure to the region over the first five years and we have been in talks with leading intranational hoteliers and look forward to announcing the operator soon.”

The Taming Oscar community group was formed following public announcement of the project earlier this year.

It has since held a number of friendly protests to the development and has been trying to influence a re-design of the Oscar Hotel to better align with Barossa’s existing character and heritage.

The developers have flagged an expected construction start date of 2021.