By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
CORIO abattoir MC Herd has taken its fights against plans for an adjacent Masters home improvement store to Victoria’s planning tribunal.
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) listed on its website a directions hearing on the case last week.
MC Herd has lodged a series of objections to the Masters store, proposed for a site directly across Bacchus Marsh Rd from the long-standing meatworks operation.
The Independent reported in March that MC Herd feared the development could jeopardise its operations.
The objection said MC Herd was a substantial employer, had a large investment in the site and did not propose to relocate.
MC Herd employs about 200 staff and has a 500-metre buffer zone around its operations.
The land earmarked for the Masters store was rezoned from residential to business to allow the development to proceed.
Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy gave the Masters plan a green light last week.
Geelong’s council has previously said the site was inappropriate for residential development because of the potential impact of the abattoir.
The Independent reported last year that managing director of the region’s last abattoir, Frank Herd, said his business faced a number of attempts to infringe on its buffer zone.
The $13 million Masters development would create 188 jobs during construction and 176 ongoing jobs.
A VCAT directions hearing sets the timetable for the dispute and can consider alternative dispute resolution options.
MC Herd’s acting managing director, Richard Herd, declined to comment on the case when the Independent contacted him this week.
