A RESIDENT\u2019S concerns regarding a proposed business development in his immediate area have gone unlodged with the City of Ballarat\u2019s planning department despite living a stone\u2019s throw away from the site.<\/p>\n
Reading about the proposed food truck venture at 303 Peel Street North featured in the Friday 19 January edition of The Ballarat Times, Merv Romeo took issue with the applicant\u2019s hopes to eventually use the space to sell alcohol.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the number of venues that already cater for alcohol, there\u2019s no need,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s the Black Hill Hotel, Eastern Hotel, Eastern Railway Hotel, the Queen\u2019s Head. There\u2019s plenty of places in walking distance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had trouble before with people drinking alcohol on that same property when it was rented out as a private house.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe person I spoke to at council said there wasn\u2019t anything in the planning application about serving alcohol and they\u2019re not aware of it as far as they\u2019re concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n
Living just on the other side of the Yarrowee River from the site, Mr Romeo discovered he\u2019d missed the deadline to submit a complaint for the application, with his property not included among the residences listed for notification.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur main concern was the potential sale of alcohol which I\u2019m not sure is a valid concern now but I went to see the council to give my two cents\u2019 worth and they said I\u2019d missed the deadline,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur property was one property over the limit of where they have to send the proposals so we knew nothing about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re one house out and in the immediate area. We weren\u2019t given a chance to submit any objection because we weren\u2019t considered to be in the immediate area.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to see more houses in that area that could be affected be notified.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Romeo said the property next to his was due to receive notice of the application despite being a vacant lot, while his next-door neighbours said they too never received any notice.<\/p>\n
City of Ballarat director of development and growth Natalie Robertson said the municipality\u2019s method in notifying nearby residents of planning applications is in line with legislation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe City of Ballarat follows requirements outlined in Section 52 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 when assessing planning applications,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this instance the assessing officer directly contacted adjoining and other nearby owners to notify them of the planning application, which exceeds requirements in the Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were also two signs placed on the building advising of the planning application, one on Peel Street North and one on Rowe Street.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe application for 303 Peel Street North is currently being assessed by the City of Ballarat\u2019s statutory planning unit, with public submissions still able to be submitted up to the date that a decision is made.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has not been an application made for the sale of liquor at the site.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A RESIDENT\u2019S concerns regarding a proposed business development in his immediate area have gone unlodged with the City of Ballarat\u2019s planning department despite living a stone\u2019s throw away from the site. Reading about the proposed food truck venture at 303 Peel Street North featured in the Friday 19 January edition of The Ballarat Times, Merv […]<\/p>\n