By Danielle Galvin
Benny D’Angelo took the Cardinia Shire Council to VCAT following the rejection of a planning permit earlier this year. 62890 Picture: Meagan Rogers
PLANS for a restaurant at the site of the D’Angelo Estate Vineyard in Officer have been rejected by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The owner of the Bayview Road winery took the Cardinia Shire Council to VCAT in a last-ditch effort since the permit was rejected in April.
VCAT member Geoff Rundell, who heard the case, said in his concluding remarks that the council was right not to grant the permit.
“The proposed expansion of this business aims to provide experiences similar to wineries in locations such as the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley,” he said.
“However, the key determinant in this case is that this location is not a tourist precinct.”
Benny D’Angelo, the owner of the vineyard, said the issue was not resolved and that he did not want to comment on the case.
The council rejected the permit on the grounds that the area was earmarked as part of the urban growth corridor and a restaurant was contrary to the strategy set out in the Officer Precinct Structure Plan (PSP).
Councillors voted on the application in early April but they rejected the permit for an 80-person restaurant and tasting room.
The VCAT order was handed down on 14 November.
“It has long been earmarked as one of Melbourne’s preferred urban development corridors and its time for change is nigh,” Mr Rundell said.
“I think an isolated standalone vineyard and a large restaurant in a suburban neighbourhood would be incongruous, give rise to amenity conflicts, and not be consistent with orderly planning. The preferred location for new restaurants in Officer is within the new town centre.”
Paul Dunlop, a spokes-person for the council, said that the plan set out to help make Officer a family community.
“Officer will transform to become one of the most liveable and desirable residential locations east of Melbourne,” he said.
“Years of planning by council have gone into the Officer Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), a very large and complex structure plan area. Although the development of the plan has been a huge task, the rewards are well worth the effort.”
