Planning bid for funeral parlour

By Tania Martin
THE Shire of Yarra Ranges has asked Planning Minister Rob Hulls to endorse a planning scheme amendment for a proposed funeral parlour in Lilydale.
However, Ryrie Ward councillor Di Moore has raised concerns over the damage this application could do to the planning scheme.
The application goes against the green wedge policy of the shire’s planning scheme.
The land for the proposed funeral parlour in Victoria Road next to the Lilydale Cemetery, is situated in a green wedge planning zone.
The green wedge zone is outlined in the State Governments Vision 2030 plan to be used agricultural land.
The application is for the establishment of a funeral parlour consisting of a single chapel and office building, with a number of parking areas.
Rob Heritage of Heritage Funeral Directors said the funeral parlour project was a unique opportunity to be able to meet everyone’s needs at the one site.
Mr Heritage said he already has a similar set up in Wantirna and that it gives grieving people a better quality service without rushing from one venue to another.
He said that having the funeral parlour next to the Lilydale Cemetery will allow the grieving families to have longer than one hour for the service before rushing off to the burial.
Streeton Ward councillor Noel Cliff said despite the planning scheme issues the application for a funeral parlour to be next door to the cemetery was common sense.
Cr Cliff said having the funeral parlour in close proximity to the cemetery would cut down on travelling time, and the time mourners spend getting stuck in a traffic jam behind the procession.
Cr Moore said that application did make sense, but that to approve this application would cause irreparable damage to the council’s planning scheme.
“We have little choice in this matter but to deny the application and assist the funeral directors in finding a more appropriate site,” she said.
Cr Moore said approving this application would go against the council’s policy and the it would cause problems for the shire in the future.
She said a precedent would then be set and the council would not be able use the planning policy as a reason to refuse unsuitable applications in years to come.
But in the end the majority of the councillors agreed that the application made sense and would endorse it to the Planning Minister.