PADUA College will appeal to the Victorian and Civil Administration Tribunal against Mornington Peninsula Shire’s decision to refuse a planning permit for a car park in Oakbank Rd, Mornington.
The case will be heard in late January.
The council refused the school’s application on the grounds it would reduce agricultural land; limit agricultural activities on adjoining land; be incompatible with agricultural activities in a green wedge zone; and is at odds with the peninsula’s planning scheme.
The council believes the school has not demonstrated how its proposal would relate to sustainable land management under the Environmental Significance Overlay.
Padua College Mornington straddles the urban growth boundary with its western section in the special use zone and eastern section green wedge zone.
The college abuts four-hectare rural properties within that zone.
No new buildings are included in the application, but a 197-space crushed rock car park is proposed for the front section opposite the college. The school also wants to use a former dwelling on the site as an exhibition space and spiritual retreat, and landscape the north and south-east sections of the car park.
Eight objectors cited conflict with the objectives of the green wedge zone; incompatibility with existing agricultural activities; loss of amenity relating to noise, light spillage and litter; after hours and weekend use; vehicles and pedestrians; contributes to existing drainage problems, and property values.
Padua College has 1528 secondary students at its Mornington campus. Numbers are expected to increase to 2050 students by 2019 as a result of relocating year 10 students from its Rosebud and Tyabb campuses. Staff numbers will increase by 25 per cent to 250.
A minimum of 282 car spaces will be required to cater for this increased demand, the school says.
