By Kate Taylor<\/p>\n
\nA new service station, \u2018convenience restaurant\u2019 and community building is likely to be constructed in an area that already has congested traffic conditions.
\nThe permit application for the Gisborne Road Bacchus Marsh site went before the February council meeting, with extensive debate over issues including traffic, noise and operating hours.
\nThe original proposal was to build the service station and two \u2018convenience restaurants,\u2019 along with signage, a three-lot subdivision of the land and an access road.
\nA total of 31 objections were received and a public meeting between some of the objectors and the potential developer was held in August last year.
\nThe body of objections stated another service station is not needed in the town; the effect it will have on local business; light spillage from the site; diesel fumes; the proposed 24\/7 opening hours and four on-street parking spaces would be lost.
\nIncreasing traffic congestion on an already busy Gisborne road, was also a major factor.
\nThe site is the same that Bunnings proposed to build a store on back in 2015 however, that was abandoned because of 200 plus objectors.
\nCouncil officers advised the developers at the February meeting it would not be agreeing to the permit with developers responding they would be taking the matter to a hearing at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
\nCouncil proposed an amendment that one of the \u2018convenience restaurants\u2019 be ditched in favour of a community-based building, with further proposals about extensive landscaping and acoustic fencing to limit the aesthetic effects of the site.
\nSpeaking on behalf of the applicant at the meeting, Peter Doyle said they had agreed to delete the second restaurant, but that the operating hours remained a sticking point. Council did not want to allow trading to start from 6am on Saturdays and Sundays, as part of the already-made compromise down from 24\/7 operation.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve put in over 12-months of work in relation to this project, and significant consultation with council,\u201d Mr Doyle told the meeting.
\n\u201cThe project is a $5-million investment and 50 jobs, focused on youth employment. We\u2019ve worked hard to find a compromise, and the deletion of the second restaurant has an impact and we are prepared to commit to the minor refinements.\u201d
\nCr Paul Tatchell argued the 6am start should be allowed because if the matter did go before VCAT, it would be likely to allow the industry standard of a 24\/7 operation.
\nObjector Wendy Stubbs said at the meeting, \u201cI\u2019m not opposed to developing this site \u2013 I\u2019m opposed to this development, it\u2019s not appropriate.\u201d
\n\u201cThis is a gateway to our town, it creates an impression of our town,\u201d she said.
\nFollowing a lengthy debate about the development and VCAT, councillors voted in favour of the amended development \u2013 with Cr Bingham abstaining from voting.
\nA compulsory VCAT pre-hearing meeting between all parties has been set for April this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Kate Taylor A new service station, \u2018convenience restaurant\u2019 and community building is likely to be constructed in an area that already has congested traffic conditions. The permit application for the Gisborne Road Bacchus Marsh site went before the February council meeting, with extensive debate over issues including traffic, noise and operating hours. The […]<\/p>\n