Eddie Russell
Moorabool council has sensationally deferred the Moorabool Retail Strategy to a future meeting after spending 50 minutes debating the establishment of a bulky goods centre.
Updates were made to the strategy following feedback, including on the identification of a bulky goods location for both immediate and long-term needs to be met in Bacchus Marsh.
Bulky goods premises are large areas for the handling, display, and storage of goods such as household appliances, furniture, carpets, tires, and mattresses.
Speaking to councillors, Maddingley landowner Ross Closter said the current site nominated, a 3.7 hectare block of land at 30 Fisken Street, would fall short of the 10-12 hectares needed.
“One large Bunnings will take up 100 per cent of that site,” he said.
“If we want to entice national retailers and grow jobs in Bacchus Marsh then sufficient land for bulky goods development is absolutely critical.
“If that site is the only one then there’s no opportunity for any other retailer to come… we aren’t looking very far in advance.”
Mr Closter said there was no room for hesitation and that a new site needed to be found soon.
“We need to start the bulky goods process now… we’ve done enough strategies, it’s time to actually take some action,” said Mr Closter.
However, executive manager of community planning and development Henry Bezuidenhout said that rushing the process would be a waste of time.
“We can start the process now but it’s unlikely to align with the strategy and projected growth,” he said.
“Fisken Street provides an adequate response to the short-to-medium term needs and any future development will be tied into future growth.”
Following the back-and-forth discussion, Councillor Rod Ward suggested moving the recommendation with an amendment.
“Based on the feedback from what I’ve heard I’d like to include the capacity to investigate the ability to rezone the land and plan now,” he said.
However, the absence of two councillors and lack of clarification on next steps led to the agreement that a deferral would allow council to pursue a measured outcome and better understand the issue.
The time spent on this one item was almost as long as the entire length of the last council meeting on July 3, which went for 62 minutes.
