An Islamic community centre will be built in Coolaroo after being given the green light by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
The three-storey centre will be built at 44-46 Kyabram Street and will include a place of worship, gymnasium, education centre, food and drink premises, a caretaker’s house and office.
The centre will also house a radio station, which will require a radio mast to be erected on-site.
The property is currently used by Islamic Voice Radio Station.
Last May, Hume council knocked back Australian Muslim Media’s application to build its centre, raising concerns about the scale of the radio mast and the impact of the new centre on traffic.
The council ruled the development was inappropriate for the site, which is in a buffer area between industrial and residential zones.
In handing down their judgement on the application earlier this month, VCAT senior member Laurie Hewet and member Michael Deidun ruled the proposal would provide “a valuable community resource in a locality where the provision of local recreational and community facilities is encouraged”.
Mr Hewet and Mr Deidun found that the proposal was well planned and made good use of the site, adding they were not persuaded it would create conflict between traffic, pedestrians and cyclists on Kyabram Road.
“The potential benefits provided by the proposed use and development … are therefore significant and weighty. In our view, they more than override any comparatively minor concern with the prospect of these uses being placed into a buffer location between resident and industrial zoned land,” the members said.
Mr Hewet and Mr Deidun also ruled that no more than 460 people, or 250 people at certain times of the year, may be at the centre at the same time without written permission from the council.
