Plans for a future Costco warehouse in Officer hit a bump in the road when the State Government knocked back council requests to amend a planning scheme to allow for the development in Kaduna Business Park.
In June 2022, Costco Wholesale announced it would invest $150m into opening three new stores in Victoria, at about $50m each, in Melbourne’s CBD, Geelong and Officer, if plans were approved.
Speaking to the Gazette at the time, Costco managing director Patrick Noone said the American bulk-buy giant was “working with the council and state government for final approvals” before starting construction on the projected site in Officer South.
But it was confirmed that the State Government had “not supported” Cardinia Shire Council requests to approve an amendment to the Cardinia Planning Scheme to allow for the development.
A Cardinia Shire Council spokesperson said council had enquired with the State Government “on numerous occasions” whether a Planning Scheme Amendment could occur to change the underlying zoning but this was “not supported”.
“Recent changes to State Government policy have strengthened the designation of some of the land, including the land in which Costco wanted to locate in Officer South as State Significant Industrial land,” the spokesperson said.
“Council is still willing to work with Costco to try and find an alternative site to provide alternative retail options and also jobs for local people within Cardinia Shire Council.”
A Victorian Government spokesperson said the decision is consistent with others where a retail store has been proposed on industrial zoned land. State planning policy is aimed at protecting state significant industrial precincts from incompatible land uses to ensure there is a supply of well-located and affordable industrial land to support the Victorian economy, the spokesperson said.
