VCAT decision on Bunnings victory for Brunswick residents

Moreland City Council is pleased with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal’s decision to refuse a planning permit for a Bunnings Warehouse on Glenlyon Road, Brunswick.

Moreland Mayor Mark Riley said the decision is a win for the local community.

“I’m thrilled that the Tribunal has declined to grant a planning permit for a new Bunnings development on Glenlyon Road,” Cr Riley said.

“Council rejected Bunnings’ planning proposal in 2020 and I’m pleased that VCAT has supported our decision.

The Tribunal noted the following concerns in its decision to refuse a permit:

  • The frontage has poor interaction with the street, as the café operates internally with no functional relationship to the street.
  • A large amount of frontage is also lost to accessways associated with car parking, trade supplies and loading.
  • Unreasonable amenity impact including noise from truck deliveries exiting the site.
  • The proposal is car dependent and does not strike an acceptable balance in its encouragement of sustainable transport.
  • The traffic impacts are unacceptable and will diminish the quality of, and the opportunity for alternative transport modes like bike riding.

“The current designs would have significant impacts on residents, bike users and pedestrians in the area.

“The design has failed to respond to the uniqueness of Brunswick, as the store functions and looks like many other Bunnings stores across Melbourne. As put by the Tribunal, this needed to be a Brunswick Bunnings, not a Bunnings in Brunswick.”

“Congratulations to all the community members who got involved with the campaign and worked to secure this planning win.”

/Public Release. View in full here.