Council’s Planning Committee has refused an application to develop a chocolaterie at 1-45 Point Richards Road, Bellarine including a restaurant, children’s farm and short-term accommodation.
The land, at 23.67 hectares, is in a Farming Zone, is used for low level grazing and crops and has an agricultural shed and historically significant outbuilding. The site is subject to several overlays including a Heritage Overlay.
The chocolaterie’s proposed hours of operation were 10″00am to 6:00pm, seven days a week. Access would have been from Point Richards Road, approximately 93 metres from the intersection with Portarlington Road.
The development would have consisted of single storey buildings such as 12 two-bedroom group accommodation units, a caretaker dwelling and office, as well as carparking areas. The chocolaterie would have been housed in a L-shaped main building, including a manufacturing area, restaurant and courtyard/open play area.
The City received 67 objections and 59 letters of support. The application was also referred to a range of stakeholders such as the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) and Country Fire Authority (CFA).
A consultation meeting was held between the applicant, City and submitters, leading to updated plans and more detail from the applicant. No objections were withdrawn.
The community can attend Planning Committee meetings at City Hall or view the livestream.
Councillor Jim Mason – Planning Committee chair
The Planning Committee seriously weighed up the application, objections and letters of support.
We found a chocolaterie would produce unacceptable outcomes in terms of the Bellarine Statement of Planning Policy, Municipal Planning Strategy, Planning Policy Framework, Farming Zone and Significant Landscape Overlay.
The proposal would permanently remove land from agricultural production and would negatively impact on an important area of biodiversity.
