By Dongyun Kwon
The local community wants to know the actual plan of the construction at 1157 Melba Highway, Yarra Glen.
Dixons Creek resident Sue Forrester said she is concerned about the appearance of the construction.
“It presents a really, really unfortunate first image of the Melba Highway once you’ve gone past Yarry Glen,” she said.
“As I’m sure anyone would agree, the amenity of the Yarra Valley is very much based on its landscape, and to have this extraordinary piece of construction, that’s actually been sitting I would estimate for at least five years, is a blight in our environment.”
Ms Forrester runs a B and B accommodation in Dixons Creek and has been involved in the tourism industry for 20 years.
She said many of her customers have asked her about the development.
“It’s more about the impression that it’s giving to not just the residents of our region, but the visitors,” the Dixons Creek resident said.
“We have such a strong visitor economy, very much based around weekend and midweek visitation.
“I can’t imagine that was the actual intention, but it’s certainly the result of whatever planning or lack of planning has accompanied this development.”
The planning permit was first granted in 2017 and amended in 2019.
Star Mail looked into the amended planning permit documents and found out the proposal was to construct a winery including a wine production facility and cellar door sales, restaurant, construction of dam, sale and consumption of liquor.
According to Ms Forrester’s claim, the development seems to proceed “in fits and starts”.
“I think it is being neglected, and I don’t know whether that’s driven because of financial concerns or just plain lack of funds, I don’t know who the company is or the companies are behind it, nobody actually in the region that I’ve ever spoken with has any clue of ownership.
“While it is ongoing, it is in fits and starts. I drive past there pretty much every day of the week, and occasionally there will be a small crew, three or four men standing around with shovels, not doing very much.
“There might be someone up a ladder. There might be someone hammering something on the roof. There might be one or two vehicles. But essentially, it’s not something that you could say, ‘right, they’re getting on with it, and whatever it’s going to be will be finished soon.’”
Star Mail attempted to contact the builder, LWY Constructions, to get clarification on the development but was unsuccessful in having an interview with the company.
Yarra Ranges Council couldn’t comment on the issue, as the council doesn’t have a role in determining when developers construct buildings as long as their permit is still active.
The council confirmed the permit for this development has a completion date listed as July 2025, and applicants can apply for extensions of time, which will be reviewed by the council team to consider appropriateness.
