Bunnings bid rejected

Erin Pearson
SURF COAST councillors have rejected plans for a Bunnings store at the entrance to Torquay.
Councillors voted 8-1 against the hardware giant’s application on Wednesday night after receiving 69 objections and more than “100 phone calls”.
Shire officers had recommended council approve the application after the company submitted revised plans scaling down the height and size of the buildings and its signage.
Torquay Commerce and Tourism Association president Martin Duke called the vote a “victory” for locals.
“The council has heard so many responses from the community and they get it – Bunnings isn’t for Torquay,” he said.
Mr Duke warned that the community would “continue to fight” if Bunnings appealed council’s decision at the state’s planning tribunal.
Cr Simon Northeast suggested council seek different types of businesses rather than Bunnings’ “big green steel shed”.
“I think council should encourage a local brand and attract high skill and high wage employment that provides a widespread benefit for the community,” he said.
“[Bunnings] detracts from the character and design of Torquay.”
Cr Dean Webster said voting against Bunnings was his hardest decision in his time on council.
Cr Jim Tutt voted in favour of Bunnings, arguing it would bring shoppers to Torquay for existing businesses.
“It’s almost impossible to consider growth without a Bunnings, it’s about serving locals,” he said.
“To Bunnings’ credit, it has done as much as can be done to do the right thing.”
A shire officers’ report said “key concerns” among objectors included the store’s impact on the town’s character and entry and commercial damage to existing businesses.
Objectors also believed council’s public notification of the application was “deceptive and misleading”, the report said.
Approving Bunnings could lead to more “retail based” proposals for the business park, such as camping or whitegoods stores, the report warned
“Such an outcome is not consistent with current policy for Torquay/Jan Juc.”
The Independent was unable to gain comment from a Bunnings spokesperson on whether the company would appeal the decision.