Hippies set for the chop

By Casey Neill
TWO Tecoma icons are to be bulldozed under plans for a new supermarket.
The Hippie Haven Music Café and Saffron Cottage Indian restaurant will be flattened if the $7 million plan gets the go ahead.
Outraged residents have blasted the plans as ugly and inappropriate for the area and have launched a petition.
Plans lodged with Shire of Yarra Ranges on 11 September propose a supermarket, one smaller store and undercover parking at 1529 Burwood Highway.
A Tecoma business owner said the Saffron Cottage and Hippie Haven buildings had “been there for years and years and years”.
She said possible new locations for the two businesses further up the street did not have the same atmosphere and had no character.
The woman said the “giant” development was “too modern” and would create more traffic.
“People live in Tecoma to get away from suburbia,” she said.
She predicted a deluge of formal objections. “We need to get together on this,” she said.
Tecoma’s Richard Ablett has launched a petition against the application.
“They’re building something that belongs in Camberwell, not in Tecoma,” he said. “It doesn’t fit into the environment.”
Mr Ablett said a six metre high frontage would block views and cast shadows over neighbouring properties. “I’m not against progress, but keep it in tune with the community,” he said.
“I love these mountains. I want to see it done right.”
Mr Ablett pointed to Tecoma’s Bon Ton Mini Mart, Upwey’s FoodWorks, and Safeway stores in Belgrave, Monbulk and Ferntree Gully as nearby grocery alternatives.
“Tecoma doesn’t need a supermarket,” he said.
Lyster Ward councillor Samantha Dunn said the development would be a huge change for the area.
“I don’t think we’ve seen a development on that scale in a very long time,” she said.
Cr Dunn said most community feedback she had received questioned who the applicant was rather than the development itself.
“I want to look at what the community response is to it,” she said.
Shire statutory planning manager Kim Marriott said she had received two submissions so far.
“The trigger for an application such as this to go to the council for a decision is more than five objections,” she said.
“If there are fewer than six objections the application can be decided upon by planning staff.”
Ms Marriot said the shire would meet with the applicants and objectors and try to resolve issues if more than five objections were lodged.
The closing date for submissions is 9 October but Ms Marriot said the shire would accept more beyond this date.
The application can be viewed at Upwey Community Link, 40 Main Street, Upwey, and the petition can be signed at Bon Ton, Hippie Haven and Saffron Cottage.
A Woolworths spokesman last week ruled out any involvement in the development.
Coles did not provide a response before The Mail went to print.