Carolyn Whitehead
VCAT has ruled against an illuminated pylon sign for the proposed Dan Murphy’s development in Central Springs Road, Daylesford.
Hepburn Shire Council granted a planning permit that allowed signs to be constructed at 63 Central Spring Road. However, a condition of the permit required removal from the application of a proposed pylon sign on the south east corner of the site.
The signage permit is separate to the the planning permit to allow the development of a shop to sell packaged liquor on the site. An appeal against the Liquor Control Commission to grant a licence for the sale of packaged liquor on the site is ongoing. Hearings in the appeal concluded this week after sitting for almost 20 days. A decision in that case is not expected for some months.
The original design of the sign had a height of 6.4 metres, width of 1.6 metres, and a panel area of 10.2 square metres. The sign was to be double sided, and internally illuminated with a lux level of 1500 and have Dan Murphy’s face on it. However, the applicant changed the sign prior to the hearing to reduce the height to 5.0 metres, change the width to a maximum of 3.2 metres, increase the overall area of the sign, and reduce the internal illumination to 1000 Lux.
Banco Properties appealed against the Council decision claiming that the condition was unreasonable. VCAT has denied the appeal and supported the original Council decision. VCAT agreed with Council and other objectors that the sign was not in keeping with the aesthetics of the area.
The Tribunal stated in their findings that “the introduction of a 5-metre-high pole sign with internally illuminated display areas will be inconsistent with the character of this area, both the commercial land to the north of Central Springs Road and the residential land to the south.”
The full VCAT ruling is available at https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/vic/VCAT/2024/4.html?context=1;query=banco;mask_path=au/cases/vic/VCAT
