The group behind a proposed independent Christian primary school at Werribee South has not ruled out appealing Wyndham council’s decision to refuse a permit.
Councillors knocked back LightPoint Church’s proposal for the school at Monday night’s meeting, with most saying the Aviation Road location was not appropriate.
The application was for the transformation of a six-hectare market garden site into a school with, in stage one of the project, 167 students.
The main reason for knocking back the proposal was because the land is in the Werribee South green wedge zone, limiting the use of land in the area to agricultural purposes. Council officers said the granting of a permit might set a precedent for non-agricultural land uses.
Councillors Intaj Khan and Bob Fairclough were the only councillors to support the proposal, which received more than 500 letters of support and two objections.
Cr Khan said state government changes to the green wedge policy in 2012 meant that if council wanted to make changes, it could do so. Cr Fairclough said many schools in the region were full and there was a need for more.
But Cr Marie Brittan flagged concerns about the long-term growth of the proposed school. She said later stages of the school could see up to 900 students enrolled.
LightPoint Church secretary Stephen Taylor said the group was “very disappointed” with the council’s decision. He said the group wanted to continue to work with council to find an outcome, but did not rule out the possibility of appealing at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
“We need to take stock,” he said. “VCAT would require us to spend significant funds … which would be money better spent on the children of Wyndham”.
The LightPoint Church is a member of Australian Christian Churches, an organisation of Pentecostal churches, and has been operating in Point Cook for five years.
