By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
THE owner of a hunting and apparel business has said that Cardinia Shire Council’s decision to refuse him a permit to open the store was “narrow-minded” but that he will not lodge an appeal at VCAT.
Daniel Burke founded Wild Deer magazine 14 years ago and has since branched out into selling hunting apparel, guns and ammunition.
More than 12 months ago he lodged an application to operate his largely online business out of a factory at 7/99 Bald Hill Road, Pakenham, three doors down from the popular Croc’s Play Centre.
At last Monday night’s meeting of the Town Planning Committee, councillors voted not to approve a permit for the business because the property did not meet the required number of parking spaces.
Despite the Cardinia Shire Planning Scheme explicitly stating that councillors cannot refuse a retail permit based on products sold, only one of the three councillors who spoke in favour of the refusal mentioned parking as their reason for disapproval.
The other two, councillors Kate Lempriere and Collin Ross, raised a strong moral opposition to the sale of firearms in such close proximity to a play centre.
While restricted retail premises are required to have a minimum of 17 car spaces, the property in question had only been allocated nine.
At Monday night’s meeting, councillor George Blenkhorn told councillors that more than 50 per cent of trading is done online, meaning the business requires far less than the standard amount.
“This is an unusual business for Pakenham or Cardinia, because 60 per cent of the business is internet retailing,” he said.
“The goods are ordered via the internet, packed or parcelled up and shipped out to customers by mail, so the retail portion is 40 per cent or less.”
Mr Burke said that he had paid more than $20,000 for a council-sanctioned parking report that concluded the outlet needed far less parking than a standard business.
“We would need eight to 10, and that would be absolute maximum – at Christmastime maybe,” he said.
“We’ve spent all this money getting all these reports done for them to knock it back.”
He labelled the decision “narrow-minded” and said that the application was submitted before Croc’s had opened.
Before facing the committee, the plan had gained the support of both the owner of Croc’s and Victoria Police.
“Anybody and everybody who comes to buy a firearm has had a police check.
“If you look at the crime statistics of firearms, you’ll find that crime is lower where there are more of them,” Mr Burke said.
“There are 30,000 registered firearms in the Cardinia shire so there’s a huge market for that business but if they don’t want it we’ll go somewhere else.
“They’re pulling emotional strings with residents. That’s all it is.”
