NARRAWONG will have a new home for its post office – and it will stay in the settlement – after a contentious planning application was passed by Glenelg Shire councillors on Tuesday night.

It was one of two applications relating to land in Narrawong that were given the green light on the night – the other, to create a right-of-way across a high-profile block on the southern side of The Esplanade, had also attracted its fair share of objectors.

The post office application – which also sought approval for the building to sell packaged alcohol for off-site consumption – reported in the Observer in May, attracted 65 submissions, 55 in favour and 10 against.

It will see the post office moved about 500m east to that of the old church on the corner of Windham St (Princes Hwy) and Cambridge St.

Objectors to the application largely were from around the immediate vicinity though also included submitters from Portland and Colac.

Their objections largely focused on the detail of the proposed shop, land use compatibility as well as rubbish, amenity and patron behaviour and traffic.

One even called it a “repugnant and embarrassing aesthetic for the town”.

“To have a building that was a church and clearly still looks like a church potentially be the site of signage showing it sells alcohol is a poor cultural combination and it will not be lost on some passing through the town,” the submitter says.

Another submission says selling alcohol would increase litter within the community “as experienced in the past when Narrawong store had alcohol sales there was much more broken glass and general disregarded bottles especially around the Surry River”.

However those in support took a very different view.

“I believe there have been some submissions of protest about the moving of the business by some small-minded residents in Narrawong,” one submission says.

“Where were the local community members when the church was closed, many years ago – did they support it?

“Where were the local community members when the family were running the Narrawong store and trying to make a go of it.

“Did they support them? No, then complained about the (eyesore) when the building became in disrepair.”

Both objectors and supporters got to address councillors at a meeting on July 18 – a report by council officers says the site met concerns.

“It is not uncommon for such postal agency to be coupled with other secondary goods in rural communities,” it says.

There also would be no more than 20 patrons at any one time “and the increase in traffic level generated is considered… acceptable”.

Councillors unanimously agreed.

“Every town needs a hub whether it be a footy club, a general store, a post office or a pub,” said Chrissy Hawker.

“I spent my teens living in Narrawong just down from the church and I think this is a good location.

“We need to be positive by respecting to the changing nature of our communities.

“Good on you Narrawong, I think this is an ideal location.”

Michael Carr said the application was allowed under the Glenelg Planning Scheme.

“It’s a good outcome for the Narrawong community to maintain a postal agency… and a retail premise,” he said.

“It’s a positive outcome because Narrawong is one of our fastest growing regional townships.”

 Karen Stephens agreed the application met the planning scheme but “it does leave councillors as individuals in a quandary sometimes when we’ve had people that have objected to matters and applications such as this”.

“But just remember we have listened, our planning scheme sets down all the rules… but I concur with my councillor colleagues that this is a really good retail precinct.

“The rules are the rules, a little bit handtied in listening to those objections and giving them what they want.”

Jayden Smith said despite the digital age a post office was still a vital asset to any community, especially smaller ones like Narrawong – both objectors and supporters brought up “many good points”.

“Much like any permit the objectors are mostly those who surround the closest area and would be the most affected by any changes… which is understandable,” he said.

“This is a project that I know will assist Narrawong to retain the community strength that it already so proudly possesses.”

● Cr Smith was the only one of the five councillors present on the night (Gilbert Wilson was an apology and the vacancy created by Anita Rank’s resignation is not scheduled to be filled until next week) that voted against granting the easement across the 18 lots on the southern side of The Esplanade.

The proposal attracted 17 objections from locals concerned about the potential for land to be developed for dwellings or large-scale development, the future construction of a road, environmental impacts and that the right-of-way was not required as the land was in one ownership.

A meeting was also held with submitters, similar to the Narrawong post office application.

Council officers wrote back to the submitters pointing out that the application was simply for the easement – there were no earthworks, roads or buildings planned nor a change-of-use permit.

The land was the subject of earlier community concerns that saw an environmental significance overlay placed on it that required planning permission to build or carry out works on it.

Ministerial intervention also took place in 2009 and 2010 which saw the zoning changed from township to rural conservation, which banned any new residential development.

Cr Hawker and Cr Stephens reiterated there was no change of use while Cr Carr said the application was allowed under the planning scheme.

Cr Smith said while he agreed with that, the land was in a sensitive dune area with wetland running through it and the easement “will increase traffic and intervention on the sensitive land”.

“I cannot guarantee personally that if the blocks are sold to 18 individuals they would all follow the rules wholeheartedly or respect the sensitivity of the area as one individual block would.

“I believe it is in the best interests of council to leave the land in its current form. We have plenty of suitable land left to build on in the shire and I believe that this block should be left as is.”

 Mayor Scott Martin said the applicant was “not seeking for a driveway, or a roadway to be built”, which would be impossible anyway.

There was a “very narrow window for the land to be used for”, including cattle and beekeeping.

“By not allowing the application it locks the land parcels which is not the common sense thing to do,” he said.

Allowing access also mitigated bushfire risks and protected the environment..

“Let me be clear this application is not a stepping stone to building on the land, it’s so there is legal access to the properties,” he said.