Zoe Moffatt
Macedon Ranges council has given Benetas the next tick of approval for a retirement village development, following its meeting on May 10.
At a meeting on Wednesday night, council voted to commence preparation for the authorisation and exhibition of the planning scheme amendment and permit.
The planning permit seeks to develop the retirement village, remove one tree and alter the access to a principal road network, while the amendment seeks to rezone the land to a general residential zone from a special use zone.
Councillor Dominic Bonanno said the proposed retirement village is a welcomed and needed investment, with Gisborne facing a critical shortage of residential aged care accommodation.
“There is merit in this development and I consider it an appropriate use… of the land,” Cr Bonanno said.
“The rezoning of the site will enable Benatas to realise its vision to redevelop the site, provide housing for assisted living units, and a retirement village, including a communal clubhouse facility.
“The application itself indicates that the overall cost of development on the site is approximately $30 million dollars… [and] economic modelling identifies the development may bring an additional $30 million in flow on effects.”
Cr Rob Guthrie disagreed and said while he recognises the site is near the centre of the town, it would work better at a different location.
“[Another] concern is the … character, it’s just too bulky,” Cr Guthrie said, “it’s an overdevelopment of a constrained site.”
“I believe that relocating it to a Greenfield site, appropriately sized to accommodate what they’re trying to build [is better].”
Cr Anne Moore said she did not want to rezone the land in case a hospital could be built there in the future.
“I don’t want to be the councillor who’s removed that right for the rest of the Macedon Ranges to have that capability of a hospital in a designated zone,” Cr Moore said.
“I would really like all our councillors to think, do you want to have to travel 40 kilometres away [so family] … can visit you in a hospital because we gave up this land?”
Despite the differing opinions in the meeting, the motion was carried and councillors said they look forward to hearing from the community.
