By JESSE GRAHAM
Developer still pleased despite strict conditions…
THE development of Healesville’s sawmill-site has been given a green-light by VCAT, but dealt a blow with 76 strict conditions on the development.
The controversial development had its future decided with 10 days of hearings in July at the Victorian Civil Administrations Tribunal (VCAT), with the final order being made on Friday 27 September.
The 3.36 hectare development will feature two convenience, a fast-food outlet, a service station, car wash, self-storage and epicurean centre with accommodation facilities.
However, the approval of the site was accompanied by 76 conditions, which address opening hours, lighting at the site, all the way through to the types of products that can be sold for off-site consumption at the epicurean centre.
Director of the development’s owner company, known as ACN 142 283 869 Pty Ltd, Joseph Alessi said that he was very pleased with the outcome of the VCAT hearing and that the development company would attempt to work with the community.
“This is a significant site – we acknowledge that,” he said.
“It will be revitalising a site that has been like a bomb-site for 15 years, give jobs to young people, offer careers and training and promote local produce.”
Mr Alessi said the placement of the fast-food restaurants would work with the town, by not attempting to alter the town’s main street.
“The appropriate place for a fast food outlet probably isn’t in a heritage township, but out on the highway where people can stop,” he said.
“I hope that people do read the decision and realise how it was derived – to put this all behind us and focus on getting a quality outcome.
“I think, once it’s up and running, people… will embrace the place.”
Healesville Gateway Group spokesman Chris Anthony said that he was surprised with the VCAT ruling, which did not recommend a roundabout or pedestrian crossings be installed as part of the traffic solution at the site.
However, Mr Anthony said that while there were tough conditions on the development, VCAT had been “more generous” than he had expected when it came to the application.
Restrictions on the site include opening hours of 6am-1am on the fast-food restaurants, ensuring that light on the development does not create nuisance to outside residents and mitigating any loss of communications reception for the Healesville SES, which is located nearby on Argoon Road.
Healesville Chamber of Commerce president Graham Taylor said the chamber was disappointed about the development going through due to the site’s prominent place at the entrance to the town.
“It is a disappointing result overall, that the gateway entrance to our town has this very odd mix of businesses all lumped on the one site,” he said.
“But the umpire had made its ruling and we’re prepared to now accept that ruling has been made.”
Mr Taylor said that, while the chamber accepts the VCAT approval for the site, the group would not tolerate any non-compliance by the developer to the conditions listed on the ruling.
Mr Alessi said the development company would now be trying to find operators for the site, working out detailed designs to be endorsed by the council and that the site would be ready around the end of 2014.
