Cade Lucas
The future of a proposed bottle shop and fast food development on a key Werribee intersection will be decided at VCAT after Wyndham council again rejected the plans on Wednesday night.
A meeting of council’s planning committee on April 10 voted against the proposal from developer Princes Wattle Pty Ltd, to build a retail precinct containing a Dan Murphy’s bottle shop and Guzman Y Gomez restaurant on the corner Wattle Avenue and Princes Highway.
It’s the second time in two years that the proposal has been rejected by council, with an early submission from Princes Wattle Pty Ltd being voted down in November 2021 amid backlash from nearby residents over noise, traffic and the sale of alcohol.
Princes Wattle re-submitted plans in January, but had already appealed to VCAT arguing the council had failed to determine the application within the prescribed time.
Despite a recommendation that council offer conditional support for the project, an alternative motion moved by councillor Adele Hegedich calling on council to oppose it at VCAT, received majority support, with only deputy mayor Josh Gilligan voting against.
Princes Wattle Pty Ltd was contacted for comment.
Earlier, a number of residents again expressed their opposition to the $8 million, 4591 square metre development proposal which also includes office space and more than 150 parking spaces.
Cheryl Haney who lives in nearby Bowery Court said the retail precinct would cause disruption for residents in the area.
“The proposed trading hours I believe are going to impact greatly to the surrounding residences with lighting,” she told the chamber.
“The lighting and the noise, just from patrons, will be ridiculous.”
Mental health worker David Turnbull said there were already 20 liquor stores within five kilometres of the site and seven within two kilomteres, which was already too many.
“I have provided a lot of evidence that shows that the higher density of liquor retailers the poorer health outcomes for the residents and your ratepayers,” he told councillors.
Wattle Avenue resident Lisa Turbull said traffic was the reason for objection.
“It’s just devastating how the roads are getting spoiled,” said Ms Turnbull who accused council of directing too much traffic towards the area.
“It’s almost as though you’re trying to move the center of the city up to the end of our street by the way you’re bringing all the traffic together and closing roads off so that the traffic all has to try and get down our little road. It just doesn’t make sense.”
The VCAT hearing is scheduled to take place in June.
