The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has overturned a decision by Moorabool council to block an expansion of The Village Bacchus Marsh Shopping Centre.
The proposal included an 1100 square metre retail premises over most of the existing car park near main street as well as a double storey commercial building on Bennett Street, intended for office space, a new east-west road access way near Gell Street.
The planning application originally came before Moorabool council in June and was rejected with council officers noting that the proposed layout and design of the development would compromise pedestrian safety and amenity and does not adequately address the need for safe and convenient car parking and vehicle access.
At the time the proposal drew 27 objections during public exhibition and Elms Medical Centre general practitioner Dr Woodrow Wu spoke in opposition to the application.
“The proposal will cause disadvantage to patients of the Elms Family Medical Centre due to issues of safety, access, parking, visibility, and amenity,” he said at the time.
An appeal against the decision came before VCAT on January 10, at which member Shiran Wickramasinghe sided with the applicant, which will allow for the future expansion, including the reduction in car park spaces.
