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Bunnings in VCAT win By Elsie Lange Macedon Ranges council (MRSC) said it was “disappointing” a Bunnings is now on the way to the outskirts of Kyneton, after being given the green light by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). In September last year, Macedon Ranges council knocked back two separate proposals for land at the intersection of Edgecombe Road and Pipers Creek Road, which included detailed plans for a Bunnings Warehouse. Council received more than 500 objections to the proposal last year. The decision was appealed at VCAT, and while the proposal for a service station and attached McDonalds at the same location is still pending, the tribunal granted a permit for a building, signs and parking for Bunnings. MRSC planning and environment director Rebecca Stockfeld said council had blocked the planning application for a range of reasons which had not been addressed by the VCAT decision. “The proposal had detrimental amenity impacts, a poor design and interface with its surrounds, inadequate landscaping, removal of native vegetation, and poor layout for pedestrians within the car-parking and access areas,” Ms Stockfeld said. “The VCAT decision to approve the development with little change to the design is disappointing. “The approved Bunnings will have a generic design, similar to many others in large cities, rather than responding to the unique character of Kyneton and the Macedon Ranges.” A spokesperson from one of the four respondents to the VCAT hearing, the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group, said they could not comment at this stage as an appeal for the second proposal was still under way. At the council meeting in September last year, mayor Jennifer Anderson said developers for both applications had not met the necessary standards for approval. “We are now declared an area of distinction and landscape, and we have a standard of planning policy and we must look at when we look at any application,” Cr Anderson said last year. Ms Stockfeld said council would “continue to push for new developments to comply with the design standards incorporated within the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme”.
A hunk o’ burning love for Elvis Unlike 21st century fans, Sunbury’s Robyn Goss didn’t have television or the internet when she first discovered her great love, Elvis Presley, down at her local shop in Cowra, Queensland. “When I saw Elvis Presley for the first time, that was it, I’d had it, when I was eight” Ms Goss said. Ms Goss, 72, was president of the Australian Elvis Presley Fan Club for many years, and this year will remember 45 years since the King of Rock and Roll died on August 16, 1977. She said it was “dreadful” when she heard he died, when he was just 42. “I couldn’t believe it at first, and then it wore in,” she said. When Elvis came to Australia, Ms Goss was lucky enough to meet his drummer. “[I worked] with him when he came to Australia and he gave me his drumsticks. He signed them and I’ve got them,” she said. Throughout her life, Ms Goss has been known for her love of Elvis. “Even when I go to hospital now … [they say] ‘Oh here comes Mrs Elvis again’, I just adore that,” Ms Goss said. Elsie Lange
Robyn Goss is remembering 45 years since Elvis Presley died. (Damjan Janevski) 289022_01
Mary-Anne Thomas MP
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