Leanne Ross and other Clyde residents celebrate after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal overturned a Casey Council decision to approve a Muslim mosque on Manks Road.
By Alison Noonan
A CASEY Council decision to approve a Muslim mosque in Clyde has been overturned.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal last week ruled it would not issue a planning permit to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Australia to build a place of worship on Manks Road.
Councillors sparked local outrage when they voted last November against a council officer recommendation to reject the application.
The decision shocked residents and prompted Balla Balla Ward councillor Colin Butler to describe the judgment as “the worst planning decision he’d ever seen”.
However, it took just two days for VCAT tribunal member Philip Martin to hand down his final verdict on Friday.
Mr Martin claimed the application would “have a substantial detrimental impact on the character of the local area” and was at odds with the purposes of the Green Wedge Zone.
“My finding is that the proposal is at odds with these relevant controls and policies and does not even ‘get to first base’ in terms of finding any real strategic policy support.
“Hence, my overall decision is that the Council Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit should be set aside and no permit should issue,” he said.
Residents this week spoke of their elation following a nervous wait.
Leanne Ross, who led the campaign against the development, told the News she was ecstatic that common sense had prevailed.
“Thank God,” she said.
“We were thinking the worst. We didn’t know which way the verdict would go.
“But they agreed with exactly what we said — the mosque just wasn’t suitable for the area.
“We’d like to thank (Liberal member for Hastings) Neale Burgess who was instrumental in fighting this with us.”
Cr Butler said he was sorry residents were forced to waste their time and money fighting a battle started by “rogue councillors trying to stich me up”.
“It was a set up,” he said.
“Other councillors thought it would be a good opportunity to get me because they haven’t been able to before.
“It just shows what sort of deals can be done among councillors in relation to planning decisions.
“I am delighted with the decision, which is a great win for residents.”
Ahmadiyya Muslim Association president Javed Choudhary said he accepted the VCAT ruling and would continue the search for a new home within Casey.
“We did our best and were open and honest throughout. It was a fair process and we respect the VCAT decision,” he said.
“Our prayers were not to win but to achieve the best possible outcome for everyone.
“Respect for our neighbours comes very high in our faith, but at the end of the day we have to live in this community.
“So we will keep going ahead and looking forward to find the right place rather than whingeing and thinking negatively.
“The challenge for us will be to find a location that is acceptable, comfortable and suitable for everyone.”
