By DANIELLE GALVIN
AFTER years as a serial under-achiever, the derelict former Pakenham Consolidated School site is set to graduate with honours as a residential and office development.
Cardinia Shire Council’s general manager of planning and development Phil Walton said that there was some movement at the site following years of to-ing and fro-ing between the developer the Gillon Group and the council.
“Council has recently received an application from the site owners to develop residential and office space on the site,” he said.
“It hopes to reach an agreement with the owners to also deviate Main Street through the site, effectively relocating the intersection of Main Street and McGregor Road, which is currently congested due to being so close to the Princes Highway.”
Mr Walton said the land is subject to a council planning agreement which allows for bulky goods retailing, cinemas, commercial offices or residential housing to be developed there.
“For a number of years, the current owners have sought to develop a large retail development on the site, and have requested changes to its planning agreement to allow for this,” he said.
“However council believes such a development would negatively impact traders in Pakenham’s town centre.
“Council has advised the owners that it is prepared to review the site’s planning agreement to allow for mixed use development.
“This could include a small retail section, cinemas, community and health facilities, offices, restaurants, a hotel, showrooms and housing.”
Adam Brick from the Gillon Group said that an application was in its initial stages.
“The application that has been submitted is the first step in the town planning process to develop the site,” he said.
“The specific details for the development have not been finalised due to the preliminary nature of the application that has been submitted.
“We are keen to see development occur on the site as soon as possible following the town planning process that needs to be undertaken with council.”
Mr Walton said the history of the site included plans for a retail business.
“Council approved an application for the site’s previous owners to develop bulky goods retailing space and offices on the site,” he said.
“However, this application was not actioned.”
Gerard Collins director Derrick Brown, who helped clinch the sale of the Pakenham Racecourse to ISPT, said he believed there were certain restrictions on the site.
“The existing owners have been trying to orchestrate a change to that,” he said.
Mr Brown said he expected that the development of the new racecourse in Tynong might inspire some movement at the idle sites in Pakenham.
He listed old Pakenham Produce site and the former cool stores as other sites that needed to be developed in town.
