THE fate of the proposed Bunnings store in Portland is far from being decided.

A decision by Glenelg Shire councillors in November to approve the $15 million development on New St, near the Portland Ring Road (Henty Hwy), has been appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

VCAT confirmed to the Observer that the parties were scheduled to meet for a compulsory conference in June, with a four-day hearing set down for September.

Those behind the appeal, which was lodged in mid-December, are remaining tight-lipped about their plans, but it is understood they will seek to flesh out reasons put forward in submissions to the November meeting as to why the development should not go ahead – including traffic, loss of amenity, flooding and drainage and the effect on wildlife.

Bunnings area manager Nick Davey confirmed the company was aware of the appeal.

“While we are disappointed with the appeal, we will work closely with VCAT, council and the Portland community as it progresses,” he said.

“As the matter is now in the hands of the Tribunal, we are unable to provide further comment.”

Glenelg Shire Council also confirmed the appeal but did not comment further – it will be the primary party defending the case in VCAT as it made the decision.

That decision was a 5-1 vote by councillors after they heard from three objectors and a Bunnings representative at the November council meeting.

Gilbert Wilson was the only councillor to vote against the application, with Karen Stephens, Chrissy Hawker, Michael Carr, Jayden Smith and Scott Martin approving it – Anita Rank was absent from the meeting.

Objectors, in both written and oral submissions, raised a range of issues and particularly focused on the probable effect of living next to such a large store.

Bunnings said it believed there were sufficient mitigation strategies in the permit conditions to address the concerns of residents.

The company first revealed plans for the store in October, set for a 1.6ha site.

The Bunnings buildings – the main retail area of about 2000 square metres, timber and building trade areas of about 2400 square metres, and about 850 square metres for the outdoor garden centre and bagged goods – would take up about 5400 square metres of the site, while 1.4ha would provide 127 car parks, including five disability spaces and four for trailers.

It was planned to open seven days a week.

While Bunnings did not require a planning permit to use the site for its type of store as the land is commercial zoned, it did need one for the buildings, advertising signs, to reduce the bicycle parking requirements and for removal of native vegetation.

About 50 jobs were expected to be created once the store was operational while about 22 would be needed during the 12-month construction phase.