Broadmeadows Progress Association secretary John Rutherford is formally appealing against Hume council’s decision to allow the building of a mosque in Kyabram Street, Coolaroo.
An appeal in the name of Mr Rutherford “and others’’ has been lodged with the
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The approval of the building permit gave rise to emotional scenes and sparked religious tensions at the council meeting in late August, with more than 1000 people massing in and outside the Broadmeadows chambers.
Most objectors were parishioners of
St Mary’s Ancient Church of the East, which is next door to the block earmarked for the Al Sadiq Foundation’s mosque.
There are already a number of mosques and churches in the Coolaroo area.
Tullamarine architect Ed Cuma said every mosque proposal he had put to Hume council had met with a similar reaction from Mr Rutherford and his group.
“They have always objected,’’ Mr Cuma said. “Every single one [mosque plan] in Broadmeadows has gone to VCAT. They’re no strangers to me.’’
A statement issued by the council last week said: “The appellants claim the proposal is inconsistent with local planning and the Hume planning scheme.” It said the appeal claimed the mosque would “adversely impact the local area in relation to the social, economic and traffic conditions”.
But the council said the application “was assessed in relation to the functionality of the proposed on-site car park and the provision of parking spaces, which meet statutory requirements”.
“Kyabram Street has the capacity to accommodate the additional traffic that would be generated by this development,” the council said.
St Mary’s Ancient Church of the East plans to build a school and reception centre behind the church.
“Any further proposed development on Kyabram Street will be assessed on its own merit for any impact it may have on the surrounding road network,” council spokesman, city sustainability director Kelvin Walsh told the Weekly.
No date has been set for the VCAT
appeal.
