VCAT has approved a large tower crane for training purposes in an industrial area in Dandenong South, despite a council’s safety concerns.
“The visual appearance of a tall crane in the middle of a long-established industrial area is perhaps an item that could be expected in such an area,” VCAT member Joel Templar stated in his decision on 27 June.
“Rhetorically, if not here, then where.”
Go Workplace Training Pty Ltd had applied for a permit for a crane, forklift and scissor lifts training facility on a four-hectare site in 16 Kitchen Road.
Greater Dandenong Council approved the centre permit but banned the use of a tower crane.
It also decreed to relocate a mobile crane, so no part of it was within 5 metres of the site boundaries.
In the VCAT matter, Mr Templar said one of the key issues for the council was reducing the risk of crane booms and loads swinging over adjoining properties.
Go Workplace Training Pty Ltd argued that if it swung the tower crane across site boundaries, it would be breaching workplace safety laws – and potentially lose its registered-training-organisation certification.
It would have safeguards such as setting alarms and programming parameters to ensure cranes don’t operate beyond the site.
Students would be supervised by a qualified trainer as well as being directed by a qualified rigger on the ground.
Mr Templar also found there was no need for a permit to regulate the mobile crane – because it was not a permanent structure.
He instead amended the permit conditions to ensuring no cranes and loads extend beyond the property boundaries.
The council also took issue with the visual impact of the proposed 24-metre high tower crane with an 18-metre horizontal beam.
In dismissing this argument, Mr Templar stated that “somewhat rudimentary” features were consistent with industrial areas.
In Kitchen Road precinct, there were tall elements such as rooftop antennas, light-poles and exhaust flues, he noted.
“Such protrusions are not uncommon, and in a municipality that encourages the facilitation of industrial uses, one must wonder that if a tower crane for the purposes proposed were not able to locate here, then where else could it be appropriate.”
