By KATH GANNAWAY
OPPONENTS to Woolworth’s bid to sell liquor from its new Seville supermarket have said they were left stunned by the decision, and the process, at Yarra Ranges Council on 10 June.
In the sequel to the original battle against a major supermarket development in the town, owners of several Warburton Highway’s smaller supermarkets and liquor outlets were in the gallery.
Seville IGA owner Barry Entwistle argued against the liquor licence saying it would adversely affect the Warburton Valley’s locally-owned businesses.
He told the Mail that opponents thought they had enough support to block the plan among the councillors who were present.
Seville Ward’s councillor Jason Callanan was absent and Cr Len Cox declared a pecuniary interest as a Woolworths’ shareholder.
With councillors divided three for and three against Cr Maria McCarthy’s motion in support of Woolworths, Mayor Fiona McAllister’s statement “I would have to say, on balance, I will not support this”, was seen as a more than strong indication of the way the vote would go.
Cr McAllister, however, said closing arguments changed her mind.
The main point of discussion was a statement in the State Government Panel Report that dealt with the original development application which did not include a liquor outlet.
The report noted that had a liquor outlet been included in the plans the panel was ruling on it may have come to a different conclusion.
“The panel hearing made it quite clear,” Mr Entwistle said.
“If they had not been concerned about the liquor aspect they would not have noted it.
“These smaller supermarkets rely heavily on liquor to support their businesses and I was stunned when Cr McAllister voted in favour.”
“I just couldn’t make it out, but there’s no doubt in my mind they (Woolworths) would have gone to VCAT if they’d been defeated and VCAT seem to just give permission to the big guys to get whatever they want.
“You don’t just pass something because you’re frightened it will go to VCAT,” Mr Entwistle said.
Cr McAllister told the Mail it had been a difficult decision that included weighing up the planning scheme.
“As councillors we need to make decisions on the facts and information before us and after Crs Witlox and McCarthy had summed up the key aspects of their reasons for supporting the application, I had to revert back to my previous sense that it did comply,” she said.
She said while her personal view was that VCAT would have ruled on planning grounds for the application had it been tested, that was not the basis on which her decision had been made.
“History doesn’t show council has a reluctance to take on issues at VCAT,” she said.
Woolworths welcomed the council decision.
A spokesperson said it was pleased at the prospect of bringing a liquor outlet to Seville for the convenience of its customers.
