Councillors encourage plans for milk factory site

Plans for development of the old milk factory site in Warragul would be welcomed by Baw Baw Shire.

Councillors last week declared their support for development of the site but said there was currently nothing on the table to consider.

Frustrated that councillors regularly get asked why they are holding up development of the site, Cr Joe Gauci moved a motion stating council encouraged and welcomed a planning permit application for the property at 121 Queen St.

Cr Gauci’s motion said “the Warragul Town Centre Masterplan (2011) identifies within the “butter factory precinct” opportunities for mixed use development, residential development and the provision of car parking spaces.”

“These identified land uses have the potential to provide significant economic benefit to Warragul,” he said.

Cr Gauci said he had been asked many times why council was pursuing court action to stop the owner Warren Turner from developing the site; and, why was council so against development of the site.

The property, owned by Warren and Diane Turner, has been the subject of lengthy court proceedings over the past five years when council imposed a building order on the property deeming some of the buildings unsafe. The building order has since been removed from the site by the Victorian Building Authority.

Cr Gauci said the court action was not about development of the site it was about compliance and safety of the site.

“As a council we would love to see the owner come to council with something for development of the site – it is integral for the town of Warragul.

Cr Gauci said he had been on council since 2012 and had never seen a planning permit application presented for development of the site.

He said council wanted to see development of the site and would be happy to see a staged development.

“What happens there changes the whole town. This is not about being a smart arse, this is about saying to the community we have no restriction for him to develop the site,” he said.

Cr Mikaela Power said the key words in this motion were “encourage and welcome.”

“It indicates our willingness to work with the developer,” she said.

Cr Power said she also had been asked often why council doesn’t take over the site.

“We can’t do that but we are keen to facilitate this,” she said.

Cr Darren Wallace said council wanted to see the site developed. “This parcel of land is holding back the centre of Warragul,” he said.

The motion was unanimously supported by council. Mayor Danny Goss was absent.