Bakery proposal goes to VCAT

An appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) by a former Baw Baw Shire planning department staff member has further dragged out an attempt to return a rundown Erica shop to its original use as a bakery.

It is three years and many tens of thousands of dollars later since Brooke Campbell and Matthew Youd began discussions with shire staff about their plans for the shop and twoand-a-half years since their initial planning application was lodged.

Ms Campbell told The Gazette late last year they had got the “run around by six or seven shire planners” with a range of requests to alter various aspects of their plans since submitting their application.

The Gazette understands the appellant to council’s eventual planning approval in November last year, Sally Moser, was employed by the shire as a planning officer and later planning manager when the initial bakery permit application was being assessed. She has since left employment at the shire.

In her application to VCAT to review council’s decision in November to approve the redevelopment of the disused shop, subject to a long list of conditions, Ms Moser did not mention her previous employment at Baw Baw Shire.

She is now a director of Moser Planning Services and lists her address as Upper Pakenham.

In an objection submitted to council in March last year, and after leaving the shire’s employment, Ms Moser said she owned land at Caringal, north of Erica, for 20 years and submitted the plans by Ms Campbell and Mr Youd would “undermine the heritage integrity of what must be the last remaining commercial premises in this gateway township to the mountain rivers area”.

In her application for review to VCAT, Ms Moser said the proposed works were an over development of the site.

“The plans are inadequate as a basis for buildings and works to a heritage building and they do not provide accurate details of the site.

“The heritage building will be so altered as to result in a substantial change/loss of the heritage place,” the application for review stated.

The premises Ms Campbell and Mr Youd want to upgrade and extend was a bakery until about 50 years ago and later used for a now closed ski hire business.

They plan to retain the original wood fired scotch oven the bakery used, highlighting it with a viewing window at the front of the building.

The redevelopment would also provide for in-house dining for up to 50 people, private functions and a providore section to showcase locally produced gourmet food and wines.

A mediation hearing was held at VCAT last month. The appeal will be considered by VCAT at a hearing scheduled for August.