A proposal to build a Hindu temple in Whittlesea’s green wedge has been rejected by council.
Whittlesea council rejected the application for 330 Grants Road, Woodstock, on 14 October.
The application sought approval to use an existing dwelling on a 12-hectare rural site as a place of worship for up to 200 patrons each weekend, according to council’s report.
The proposal included modifications to the existing home, an extended accessway, and a 10-space car park, with plans for weekend prayer services from 8am to 10:30am and 3pm to 7pm and up to 30 patrons attending three larger annual events.
The application drew a large amount of community attention, with council receiving 753 submissions, including 366 objections and 385 letters of support, along with petitions both for and against the proposal.
Whittlesea’s planning officers found the proposal was inconsistent with several clauses of the Whittlesea Planning Scheme, including those protecting agricultural land and maintaining the character of Melbourne’s green wedge areas.
Objections were included in council’s report based on separate plans which were not brought forward to council but instead circulated online for a future larger scale place of worship activity of up to 10,000 people.
While the proposal was supported by hundreds of community members, councillors said the use was not appropriate for a site zoned for agriculture and rural living.
Whittlesea’s Green Wedge Protection Group director, Kerry Stewart, said many residents submitted letters of objection to support the protection of Whittlesea’s green wedge.
“All the rejections were from actual residents. We were all affected in some way, especially people like me who live in Eden Park,” she said.
“We fought against this for the green wedge. There’s safety concerns, but the protection of the green wedge has always been paramount.
“We have a green wedge, it’s what divides us from urbanisation and it’s there to be preserved. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
In a report to the council meeting, council officers stated the development would “undermine the integrity and strategic intent of the green wedge land” and was “inconsistent with the established pattern of land use and development” in Woodstock and Eden Park.
Mayor Martin Taylor said he placed strong emphasis on an ongoing protection of the green wedge areas within the municipality.
“These areas are vital to our environment, agriculture and the ecological integrity of Melbourne’s north, and the action plan reinforces protections against urban expansion and non-compatible land uses that would undermine the long-term value of the land,” he said.
The applicant retains the right to appeal the decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
