The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has greenlit a controversial warehouse development in Lara, siding with the applicants against the local council and worried residents who raised alarms about potential explosion risks.
Tribunal overturns council refusal
Brothers Shane and Jason Montgomery, operating through their company S & J Montgomery, have successfully appealed the City of Greater Geelong's decision to refuse a planning permit for their proposed industrial facility. The tribunal's ruling, handed down recently, grants permission for the construction of a warehouse with associated offices and parking on a vacant lot at 150-152 Windermere Road.
The council had rejected the initial application, citing significant concerns related to the site's proximity to high-pressure gas transmission pipelines operated by APA Group. These pipelines are classified as a Major Hazard Facility and are subject to strict risk management protocols.
Explosion risk and resident objections assessed
Local residents strongly opposed the development, with fears centred on the potential for a catastrophic event. The core argument was that introducing a warehouse storing unspecified goods so close to the pipelines unacceptably increased the risk to human life should an explosion occur.
Objectors pointed to the existing Pipelines Safety Management Plan, which mandates specific land use controls within the pipeline's vicinity. Their case rested on the premise that the new development could compromise the safety margins established by this plan.
However, VCAT senior member John Bennett and member Sarah McDonald found the objections did not provide sufficient grounds to block the project. In their determination, they concluded that the proposed use was consistent with the industrial zoning of the land and the existing planning framework.
Conditions imposed for safety and amenity
The tribunal's approval is not unconditional. The permit includes several key requirements designed to manage the identified risks and impacts. A central condition mandates that the warehouse must not be used for the storage of dangerous goods as defined by relevant Australian standards, directly addressing the primary safety concern.
Other conditions focus on mitigating the development's impact on the local area. These include:
- Detailed landscaping plans to improve the site's appearance.
- Strict controls on operating hours to limit noise disturbance for nearby residents.
- Management plans for stormwater runoff and waste.
- Requirements for vehicle access and loading bays to be contained entirely within the site boundaries.
The ruling underscores the complex balance between urban development, industrial land use, and community safety in growing corridors like Lara. While the Montgomery brothers can now proceed with their project, the decision highlights the ongoing tensions as residential areas expand closer to established industrial and infrastructure zones.
