AN Iraqi group will take its fight for a school to VCAT, after a divided council voted down the recommendations of its own experts and blocked them.
A packed public gallery heard allegations of anti-Muslim sentiment and disrespect to the council’s staff at last week’s council meeting, as councillors voted 5–3 to block the passage of the Mayfield Heritage Precinct Development Plan.
More than 200 supporters of the Iraqi Shia community gathered to hear the long-awaited response to their plan for a school which would be fee-paying but open to all faiths, on the historic site of the former Mernda Primary School, which the group owns.
About 30 objectors to the proposal were also present.
A 35-page council report addressed objectors’ concerns including traffic, parking, cultural heritage and amenity, and recommended that the plan be passed.
But councillors, including mayor Steven Kozmevski, passed an alternative motion that the plan not be approved, citing traffic congestion, proximity to homes and compromised heritage values.
Cr John Fry, argued the council should support the school and said it would protect the existing bluestone buildings.
Cr Sam Alessi agreed. ‘‘We have excellent traffic management people in the council who have put forward a valid and workable report. We should respect them.’’
The school community was bitterly disappointed.
‘‘We feel it’s unfair. We’ve been doing this for two years and they never gave us any indication,’’ said The Great Prophet group spokesman Hassan Al Khirsany. ‘‘We will go to VCAT. I believe we have a strong case.’’
Objectors to the school were jubilant, hugging each other. ‘‘I’m very happy, but there’s still a long way to go,’’ said Ken Mooney, spokesman for the Friends of Mernda Heritage Site Group.
The issue drew enormous public response. About 2000 people signed a petition in support of the school, another 2000 lodged objections or signed a petition against it.
Both parties met for the first time last week, sitting shoulder to shoulder in the packed gallery. There was one heated exchange outside council offices after the hearing.
An objector told Mr Khirsany ‘‘You were sold a lemon’’, echoing the view of Cr Frank Merlino, who said the group should have checked with council for school-appropriate sites before purchase.
But Mr Khirsany said the group had consulted the council prior to purchase. ‘‘They told us there would be no problem with putting a school there.’’
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