COMMUNITY groups in Keilor are delighted that Brimbank Council has rejected a proposal to create a commercial development in a residential area.
The council last week knocked back a proposal to rezone land at 14-16 Kennedy Street from residential to business use.
The proposal, submitted to the council in December, included an application for a three-storey building with three ground-floor shops, six offices on level two and six dwellings on level three.
The council’s general manager of city development, Stephen Sully, said the decision was based on the Keilor Village Vision document adopted by the council in March.
Consultation about the document found Keilor residents wanted to preserve the character of the village area.
The council said the proposed Kennedy Street development did not meet the requirements of the village plan.
Keilor Village Traders Association president Virginia Tachos said the decision was a victory for residents and traders.
“A lot of community groups and residents were against this development and many turned up to oppose it in the council meeting,” she said.
“Kennedy Street is already quite busy and having this development would lead to more traffic and less opportunities for parking for traders and visitors to the shopping strip.”
Keilor Residents and Ratepayers Association president Susan Jennison said she was pleased that “common sense prevailed”.
“It is terribly important the guidelines in the Keilor Village Vision document are preserved and this decision should set a precedent,” she said.
“It wasn’t just a development issue, as the rezoning of the land was the primary concern.”
