After it was recommended by council staff, councillors approved the planning permit application, for use and development of the land for a place of assembly at 11 and 13 Tallarook St and 8 Alexander St, on Monday, March 16.
A number of the councillors spoke in support of the application as a way to boost economic development in Seymour.
Cr Riley Evans said it would bolster employment for local young people, while Cr Ned Jeffery said it was rare for a town like Seymour to get an investment of this size.
“In the past, we’ve turned investments of this size away and they are very hard to garner,” Cr Jeffery said.
“I do apologise to the neighbours who are near this site, it will be an impost on them, but I believe that suitable conditions have been placed upon the proposal by council officers.”
Cr Nathan Clark agreed the development would impact the neighbouring residents, but said the application could go down a more adverse path if it were rejected by council.
“We have, as councillors, spent a lot of time with staff running through this and making sure that the conditions that are there are as best as they can be,” he said.
“If we were to reject this, they could go to VCAT, they could alter the conditions in their application and go for it.
“We sought assurance from the staff that there would be no changes to the conditions if it’s endorsed by council, and that they would be rigorously enforced.”
Conditions applied by council include the managing of noise through the implementation of acoustic fencing and barriers, reducing the hours of operation and alterations to car parking on the site.
“We’ve really felt for the people who will be affected by the presence of this cinema, and I’d like to remind them that there are 71 conditions attached to this permit,” Cr Claudia James said.
Many of the objectors, a number of whom had been fighting against the proposal since it was first put to council in 2022, raised concerns about the amenity impacts they would face as neighbouring residents to the site, including increased traffic and congestion along Tallarook St, safety concerns and uncontrollable noise.
While a majority of the councillors said they sympathised with the concerns raised by the community, they also said it was an economic opportunity that Seymour couldn’t pass up.
“We have turned this inside out to try and find that balance for the town,” Cr Andrea Pace said.
“It’s fantastic for the town, not so fantastic for the residents, so we’ve done our utmost to try and find that acceptable balance in between.
“We’re a low socio-economic town, we cannot afford to turn these types of employment opportunities away. We want to welcome business into our town so we can lift up our kids.”
