Council stands firm on objections

GREATER Dandenong council has stood by its traffic concerns in objecting to a proposal to build 38 factories on a block of vacant land.
In August 2005 the council rejected a proposal to build 38 factories on a 2.7 hectare vacant industrial site at 11 Bryants Road, Dandenong.
The matter is now before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) but in an unusual move, the tribunal last week requested the council’s opinion on changes that are proposed for the planning application.
Former councillors Claire O’Neill and David Kelly originally rejected the application and had support from their fellow councillors.
Council minutes taken at the 22 August meeting state the application was rejected because it failed to comply with several clauses of the City of Greater Dandenong Planning Scheme and risked drawing traffic congestion to the area.
This week, the council’s recommendation on the new changes to be handed to VCAT was made urgent business after the unexpected request from the planning tribunal.
In its recommendation, the council repeated its concerns over traffic safety, and said it stood by its reasons for refusal outlined in August 2005.
The information must be handed to VCAT by no later than 12 May for its consideration in resolving the matter.