Development splits Cardinia council

By Paul Dunlop
PLANS for new development in Pakenham’s old residential heart split Cardinia Shire Council in a debate over whether it marked a milestone — or a millstone — for the town.
Councillors recently voted 43 in favour of a bid to demolish a house in Rogers Street to make way for a twostorey office complex but not before heated discussion on the merits of the proposal.
Division on the issue at the 17 July council meeting extended to the three Central Ward representatives — mayor Bill Ronald and councillors Brett Owen and Kate Lempriere.
Cr Ronald said the development was “totally out of sync” with community opinion, while Cr Owen said he was against change for the sake of it, especially a change he said was to the detriment of local residents.
But their comments were challenged by Cr Lempriere who said it would have nowhere near the negative effect her colleagues claimed.
Cr Lempriere said council had a responsibility to take the town forward.
“We’ve got to start somewhere to move with the times, Pakenham is no longer a country town,” Cr Lempriere said.
“I’m sorry to say it, a lot of people like it as a country town — I even like it as it is — but this is the beginning of change,” she said.
The debate was prompted by an application by D and I Javori to provide office space for professional services outside the retail centre.
Seven objections were lodged with council. Objectors claimed the development would clash with the area’s character and set a precedent encouraging similar change.
Rogers Street has traditionally been a residential area and people living there said they wanted it to remain as it was.
But town planners said the street was now zoned mixed use, which encourages a range of residential, commercial, industrial and other uses.
Councillors Graeme Legge, Bill Pearson and Doug Hamilton empathised with residents’ concerns but believed the proposal was worthy of support.
“People say they can’t get the things they want in Pakenham, people go to Fountain Gate; we want to see Pakenham develop in a way people can get all they need here,” Cr Hamilton said.
Cr Pearson believed the state planning tribunal would overturn the council decision if it rejected the application.
Cr Ronald said the future was “neither here nor there”, the development was wrong for the present.
Cr Owen and councillor Ed Chatwin backed the mayor in voting against the proposal but were defeated.
Cr Lempriere said she believed the decision was in the best interests of Pakenham.
“We’ve got to start somewhere to move with the times,” she said.