The final

By Kath Gannaway
OBJECTORS by the busload cheered when Yarra Ranges Council refused a permit for a car wash in Healesville’s East End last week.
Eagle Crest Pty Ltd were seeking a planning permit to build a car wash on the corner of St Leonard’s Road and Walker’s Lane.
The developer (a director of Eagle Crest) of the proposed two-storey development – as of Sunday, was not ruling out an appeal to the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
A total of 83 objections and a petition signed by 775 people were lodged against the development proposed by Eagle Crest Pty. Ltd.
Some 30 of the 40 objectors present at the packed Yarra Ranges Council meeting on Tuesday, 25 October, came by bus from Healesville.
The council refused the planning permit on a number of grounds including that it would detrimentally affect the amenity of the neighbourhood through appearance, noise, light, smell, fumes and vapour, unsafe traffic movements, bad design, signage which it “out of character” with other advertising in the area and an inadequate acoustic report.
Robyn Johnson and Matt Schwab spoke on behalf of the objectors with Ms Johnson apologising for the “garish colours” of a powerpoint presentation.
“These are the colours in the application,” she said.
Quoting Yarra Ranges Council’s Vision 2020 and Planning Scheme, Ms Johnson said the proposal did not meet many of the council’s requirements.
“The shire’s Vision 2020 By Design guidelines clearly state the main threats to the character of Healesville are poor amenity and safety for pedestrians, and ‘big-box developments. These main threats are an accurate description of the car wash,” she said.
Mr Schwab, an adjoining property owner expressed concern about noise, the effect of chemicals on his family and increased traffic in Walker’s Lane.
Cr Jeanette McRae said the proposal was inappropriate for the site.
“Although the applicant may be well-intentioned in trying to get a commercial enterprise underway, this is an overdevelopment and totally inappropriate for that site,” she said.
She said the design did not have a good residential interface, didn’t suit the character of the area and was “extraordinary” in terms of height.
She said a wall proposed in the acoustic report to address noise issues would be around three metres high along most of Walker’s Lane.
“This would certainly be in your face … totally inappropriate,” she said.
Cr Samantha Dunn said the proposal showed no sensitivity to the character of the town on many levels.
“It is out of character in this area of Healesville, and probably in most areas of Healesville,” she said.
Cr Tim Heenan also spoke against the proposal saying he had concerns about the chemicals that would be used and the interface of a car wash business next to a residential area.
The developer was not represented at the meeting.
He told the Mail on Sunday he had not heard the outcome of the council meeting and would not rule out a VCAT challenge to the council’s decision.
“It comes down to having already made a commitment for the car wash, but that doesn’t mean we’re not looking at other possibilities,” he said.
In the Mail (4 October) he told the Mail he was looking at two alternative options, one a retail/accommodation development, the other a childcare centre.
“People have showed a very strong interest in not having a car wash there, I can only push the door open so far in terms of them showing us what they would like to see there,” he said.
“We are keen to speak with those people who took a genuine approach (at the consultation meeting) to try to come up with a good result for the site,” he said.