Residents zone protest

By Tania Martin
THE Shire of Yarra Ranges has agreed to investigate a new planning scheme amendment for the Mt Evelyn retail precinct.
This follows a protest last Tuesday from the gallery of the Shire Chambers by Mt Evelyn residents angry over the future development of a Safeway supermarket.
In December 2002, following a lengthy community consultation period, the council agreed to rezone the land from Residential One to Business One.
The owner, Arch Caswell, proposed to turn the land at 3 Snowball Avenue and 18 Station Street, Mt Evelyn, into a pharmacy, doctors’ surgery and associated car parking.
Following the withdrawal of objections from nearby residents, the council referred the application to the Minister for Planning, Rob Hulls, for approval, which was granted in September 2003.
However, nearby residents have since campaigned to reestablish the land as a Residential One zone following speculation the land may be considered as a site for the development of a new Safeway supermarket. James AmourReid, shire director of planning, building and health, said the shire had not received an application for such a development.
Colin Gillam, a resident and objector, last week told the council local residents felt they should have had the chance to object to the proposed changes to the owner’s plans for the land.
Town planner Steve Caleb, representing the land owner, told council it was very difficult to sustain developers’ interest.
He said by the time the rezoning of the land had been approved by the council and the minister, many of those originally involved in the medical centre project had lost interest.