By Laura Michell
Plans for a major outdoor market with a plant nursery at Oaklands Junction have been knocked back despite Hume council approving the proposal last year.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) last month overturned council’s October 2021 decision to grant a permit for the 177-stall market at 230 Oaklands Road.
VCAT senior member Laurie Hewet and member Katherine Paterson found the size and scale of the proposed market to be “unacceptable”.
They also found that the proposal was “inconsistent” with its location in a green wedge zone (GWZ).
VCAT accepted that the market would bring economic benefits to Melbourne’s north, however Mr Hewet and Ms Paterson felt it did not outweigh the impacts on nearby residents.
“Introduction of a use of this type and scale will introduce amenity impacts which we regard as unacceptable,” they said.
A market of this scale will inevitably bring a significant amount of people to the area.
“Activity levels on the site will generate a range of amenity impacts which in another location, may be acceptable. In this locality however, impacts including noise, traffic movements and disturbance caused by generally high activity levels, are not acceptable.
“There needs to be a compelling case for this proposal to be approved since it does not align suitably with policy directions and planning scheme provisions for the GWZ, and having regard to the traffic, car parking and amenity impacts we have found to be unacceptable.”
Speaking at Hume council’s October 24 meeting, councillor Jarrod Bell labelled the VCAT decision as “completely wrong”.
He described the market as an “innovative and exciting” use of the land.
“It is a massive missed opportunity,” he said.
“It was jobs for our local community, it was an opportunity for … community life to be brought into [Oaklands Junction and Bulla].
“This would have been a heart for these communities.”
According to original proposal to council, the market was expected to generate 335 on-site employment opportunities, 415 indirect jobs and 47 construction related positions over the course of the project.
