The proposal to construct a new place of worship in Pakenham has been rejected by the Cardinia Shire Council, ending a period of uncertainty that saw disagreement between councilors.
The council held its monthly town planning meeting on Monday 3 June where the first item on the agenda was the consideration of a new church.
The proposal was made by local company Glory Architecture who lodged plans in March 2022 to use a 3.7 square metre lot on O’Sullivan Road, Pakenham to build a place of worship.
The council has since been in contact with Glory Architecture over the initial phase of proposal.
The council’s office for Liveable Communities and its general manager Lili Rosic drafted a resolution to reject the proposed construction which was initially tabled in the town planning committee meeting on 1 May.
The resolution argued the proposed location for the place of worship was not appropriate within the existing location deemed state-significant industrial land.
O’Sullivan Road is within the industrial precinct along Bald Hill Road east of Racecourse Road.
As a developing part of the precinct, the council argued a place of worship was not an appropriate use of the land on O’Sullivan Road under the existing planning scheme, while factors, such as noise and accessibility, were considered to infringe on the viability of a place of worship in the location.
In the May meeting, councilors voted against the officer’s resolution to reject the proposal in a close division.
Four councilors voted in favour of rejection: Brett Owen, Jeff Springfield, Graeme Moore and Jack Kowarzik.
While five voted against: Stephanie Davies, Collin Ross, Kaye Cameron, Carol Ryan and Tammy Radford.
After the vote was rejected the council resolved to defer the final decision to the 3 July meeting.
At the meeting, the resolution was posed again – this time some councillor minds had changed.
Cr Springfield spoke in favor of the resolution to refuse the application.
“It has been hard because the group that wishes to establish, the purpose they wish to establish this for, has so much merit,” he said.
“But noting the report presented by the council offices, there are many difficulties associated with the site.”
Cr Colin Ross held firm to his disagreement with the resolution.
“You have places of worship which we have many of them in industrial zones in our shire and we basically haven’t had complaints from any of them in the past,” he said.
“What people don’t realise is that they can actually bring in more business for the local community because people tend to move to where a place of worship is.
“I won’t be supporting the refusal, there were no objectors to the whole thing.”
In the public notices of the proposal, only one response was made to the council which was in support.
Cr Carol Ryan, who voted against in May now supported the resolution.
“The accessibility there is a problem,” she said.
“Being amongst the industrial area, it’s very isolated.
“And the hours I question as well, on a Saturday 8am to 8pm in the evening, they’re long hours.
“I unfortunately cannot support this, I will be supporting the recommendation of the officers.”
Cr Ross called for division in the vote, where the resolution to reject the proposed place of worship was carried with five votes for and two against.
Those for were; councilors Kaye Cameron, Jack Kowarzik, Carol Ryan, Graeme Moore and Jeff Springfield.
Those against were; councilors Colin Ross and Stephanie Davies.
Cr Brett Owen and Mayor Tammy Radford were absent from the meeting.
