McHearing rolls on

By CASEY NEILL
TECOMA’S anti-McDonald’s fighters are mourning the death of one of their troops, but have welcomed an extension to the VCAT hearing into the proposal.
Yarra Ranges Council last October rejected the McDonald’s planning application for 1529 Burwood Highway, Tecoma, following community uproar.
But just before Christmas the restaurant chain decided to appeal the decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
The hearing was set down for six days started on 6 August but will now continue on 3 and 4 September.
“The tribunal members recognised that there was no way the hearing would be complete on Monday,” Lyster Ward councillor Samantha Dunn said.
The tribunal members also scheduled Monday’s hearing to start at 2.15pm so community members could attend Wilf Wharton’s funeral. He died suddenly on 3 August.
Cr Dunn said Mr Wharton was a passionate and committed member of the Tecoma community, heavily involved with the Tecoma Preschool and Tecoma Village Action Group (TVAG).
“He has played a key role in community committee formed to fight the McDonald’s appeal at VCAT and we are all very sad at this sudden loss,” she said. “We thank the tribunal for being sensitive.”
The tribunal members also elected to hear the McDonald’s submission on landscaping on Monday – the application’s least contentious area.
Cr Dunn said about 30 community members had sat in the gallery to support the Tecoma submitters each day.
“I don’t think VCAT are used to having this sort of community engagement,” she said.
“I think it does help.”
She said the hearing had been “intense” and community members had done a fantastic job with their submissions and cross-examination.
“It’s been going exceptionally well,” she said. “They did an exceptional job of representing the community.”
Cr Dunn said submissions varied from technical presentations on traffic and VCAT case law to a creative and emotive poem.
“They showed the gamut of the Dandenongs community,” she said.
Objectors argue that the drive-though restaurant would create traffic chaos in Tecoma and damage neighbourhood character and amenity through its scale and appearance.
McDonald’s will submit that its application met council planning requirements and considered and addressed concerns the community raised around traffic, noise and litter.