By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
FOUNTAIN Gate Bingo’s numbers came up on Tuesday night when councillors voted to allow the popular game venue to build a new larger premises in Hallam.
City of Casey councillors passed a notice of decision on Tuesday that will see Fountain Gate Bingo granted a permit to use and develop a vacant industrial lot in Technology Circuit, Hallam, pending a 28-day appeal period.
Planning officers had recommended the permit be refused, arguing that Hallam should be preserved for manufacturing and warehouse uses.
However councillor Wayne Smith, who backed the application, said Fountain Gate Bingo was the only business that had shown interest in the site.
“I put up an alternative because I felt there were good arguments to support the permit application,” he said.
“One of the arguments was that the bingo centre would take up valuable land for land use but this site’s been empty for a long time and no-one else wanted it.”
The officers’ report also questioned the site’s accessibility to public transport, but Cr Smith said this wouldn’t affect the bingo participants because the majority of them drove cars.
Cr Rosalie Crestani was the only councillor to oppose the permit.
“The main priority is making sure there is enough land available for industrial use – if the bingo centre moves to this site important industrial land will be withheld,” Cr Crestani said.
“The area is busy enough as it is without placing a heavier bearing on it. The fact that most of the bingo players drive cars seals the case more.”
James Rooney, Fountain Gate Bingo’s venue manager, said the land in Hallam was exactly what the centre needed.
“Our current building is starting to cost too much for a business and the move makes our expenses cheaper,” he said.
“This block of land has been on sale for a while and has a small frontage so a lot of the industrial companies in the area don’t want it, but the size suits us. No-one else wants to be in there and it’s perfect for what we need.”
Mr Rooney also said the move would allow the bingo centre to better support local sporting clubs.
“We have 10 different clubs involved with our bingo and the more we can do for the community the better,” he said.
“We raise quite a lot of money for clubs and they rely on this money.”
