Revised plan: A revised plan submitted to Greater Shepparton City Council by developer Shepparton Pty Ltd (Sam Herszberg) for a $50 million redevelopment of the IGA site on Numurkah Rd in Shepparton North.
Long-standing efforts to see a major redevelopment of the IGA site on Numurkah Rd in Shepparton North have hit another road hump.
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Greater Shepparton City Council and developer Shepparton Pty Ltd are destined for a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal compulsory conference after council did not make a decision on an amended proposal in the prescribed 60-day time frame.
Shepparton Pty Ltd appealed to VCAT in response to council’s non-decision, and a hearing has been set for October 9.
It’s not the first time the two parties have met at VCAT.
In February, VCAT rejected council’s claim the developer was warehousing its planning permit, giving Shepparton Pty Ltd until August 4, 2024 to start the development and until August 4, 2026 to complete it.
An application for a $50 million development of the Fairleys IGA site at 117-193 Numurkah Rd was originally submitted to council in August 2022, but council was earlier this year asked to consider an amended application.
A report presented to councillors showed the amended application would see 600 square metres less supermarket space than initially proposed, 590 sq m less total retail space, no space dedicated for medical use and 81 fewer car-park spaces.
The proposal still has two supermarkets, 5685 sq m of shop floor space, 13,085 sq m of total retail floor space, 577 on-site car-parking spaces and vehicle crossings to Numurkah Rd and Hawkins St.
Layout: The original plan submitted in August 2022 by developer Shepparton Pty Ltd for redevelopment of the IGA site and approved by Greater Shepparton City Council.
Council obtained an independent assessment of the revised application from a consulting town planner, which recommended it be passed, but only after improvements were made.
Councillors considered the application at their monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 19.
“The public is probably wondering what this is all about,” Cr Brophy said during the meeting.
“Really, it’s an issue that’s been going on for far too long, to be honest.”
At that meeting, councillors carried, unopposed, a motion that formalised council’s position ahead of the VCAT hearing.
The motion noted that the revised application would have been refused in its current form if the developer had not chosen to take the matter to the tribunal.
It also said the amended permit may be granted if the design shortcomings mentioned in the independent report were addressed to council officers’ satisfaction.
“So, this is not stopping,” Cr Sam Spinks said.
“We’re the closest we’ve ever been to getting something up there and I think that if they are able to meet the high, reasonable expectations of any development in that area, then we would absolutely want to see that development occurring in Shepp North.”
Other councillors were more sceptical about a breakthrough being possible.
“They’ve asked for extensions that have been granted. Now there’s this issue and look, I don’t hold much confidence that even if this permit is given that it will happen, very quickly anyway,” Cr Dinny Adem said.
Cr Geoff Dobson congratulated council staff for their work on the application and determination to get the best outcome for the city.
“What was presented to us the other day didn’t quite meet it, so let’s hope those design shortcomings are sorted out,” he said.
Cr Fern Summer was also hopeful that a solution could be found, giving the expanding residential areas of Shepparton North the development they needed.
“I hope we can get a resolution soon so the good people of north Shepparton can finally get their supermarket,” she said.
Speaking after the meeting, Mayor Shane Sali said he was hopeful an outcome could be achieved before the scheduled VCAT hearing.
The question of commercial development in the north of the city has been floated several times over many years without a sod being turned.
At the same time, residential developments have progressed to completion, with more in the process of development.
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