Parking waiver is upheld

By Jim Mynard
THE Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has upheld an appeal against a City of Casey refusal to allow parking waivers on a commercial development at 88-94 High Street, Berwick.
The council in June refused to allow the waiver on an application for a waiver of car parking spaces for a redevelopment of the building for office space.
Officers recommended that the waiver be approved, but councillors argued it would result in the loss of 17 car parking spaces.
The Berwick Village Chamber of Commerce was in favour of the council decision.
Applicant Ron Curry said the VCAT decision was a vote for common sense.
Mr Curry said VCAT on 25 October decided after only two hours that the council had jumped the gun and had erred in rejecting the recommendation of its professional officers. He said Oatlands Ward councillor Mick Morland warned the council that VCAT would overturn its decision.
“It appears that someone within the Chamber of Commerce lobbied Strathard Ward councillor Lorraine Wreford, who succeeded in having the application refused,” he said.
Mr Curry said it was time the Chamber of Commerce and the council fixed the parking problems in the village. However chamber president Mike hall said the chamber did not oppose the application.
Mr Hall said the chamber policy was to not oppose or support individual applications. “We will fight for changes in policy, but it is not our policy to be involved in individual applications,” he said.