104 Browns Road Cranbourne South VIC 3977

Objection to Planning Application for the Use of Land at 104 Browns Road, Cranbourne South VIC 3977 for a Place of Worship, Education Facility and Meditation Centre

To the Planning Department,
Casey City Council

RE: Planning Application - 104 Browns Road, Cranbourne South VIC 3977

I am writing to formally object to the planning application for the development of a Place of Worship, Education Facility, and Meditation Centre at the address 104 Browns Road, Cranbourne South VIC 3977.

The specific grounds of my objection are as follows:

Environmental Concerns: Developing large scale religious temples on green wedge land can have detrimental effects on the environment. This kind of development can lead to:

Environmental degradation, potentially harming the local flora and fauna.
Loss of natural habitats, making it difficult for wildlife to thrive and survive.
Disruption of the ecosystem, causing an imbalance in the delicate environment.
Traffic and Noise Pollution: Such developments are likely to attract a large number of visitors. This would:

Increase traffic congestion, leading to potential road safety concerns.
Result in noise pollution, affecting the tranquility and serenity of the area.
Aesthetic Impact: The proposed development may have a detrimental effect on the scenic beauty of the area. The Green Wedge zones have been designated to preserve the natural beauty and aesthetic value of regions, and developments of this magnitude could compromise these values.

Local Relevance: Cranbourne South is a region that primarily consists of a country town with a predominant focus on agriculture and farming. The proposed temple might not serve the local residents adequately due to cultural and religious differences. Such a large-scale facility seems mismatched to the needs and the demographics of the local community.

Quiet Enjoyment: The peaceful environment of Cranbourne South is one of its major attractions. Residents cherish the quiet enjoyment of their surroundings, abundant with wildlife. The proposed development may disrupt this peace and tranquility, thereby diminishing the quality of life for those living in the vicinity.

Precedent Concerns: It is crucial to consider the precedent set by approving such developments on green wedge land. It can potentially pave the way for more large-scale developments in the future, which would further impact the ecosystem and the character of the region.

For the reasons mentioned above and in the interest of preserving the unique character, environment, and quality of life in Cranbourne South, I urge the Casey City Council to consider these concerns seriously and decline the planning application for the development at 104 Browns Road.

Kind Regards,

Nicole Answer

I am a local home owner and I am concerned about the nature of this property's redevelopment as a place of worship, education and meditation centre at; 104 Browns Road, Cranbourne South VIC 3977.

I wish to oppose this development on the basis of several concerns.
Initially, my thoughts go to the conservation of Green Wedge area, with this land being in close proximity to the Cranbourne Botanic Gardens. The potential increase in traffic volume poses a risk to native fauna, where there are no safe animal crossing points. Similarly, the green wedge is land proposed to serve the broader ideal that it not be over-developed or used for inappropriate purpose, sustaining the native fauna habitat.

Utilising information from within the Casey City Council document "Places of Assembly/Worship Policy (Version 1.3)”, my additional concerns are listed below;

4.1 Objectives – What does this policy hope to achieve? General
To facilitate the establishment of places of assembly/worship that predominantly serves the needs of the local community.
Locational-

"To ensure that in new residential areas, places of assembly/worship be clustered around planned neighbourhood nodes.  To ensure that in established residential areas, places of assembly/worship, wherever possible, be located adjacent or close to similar non-residential uses where located on the periphery of an activity centre or commercial/industrial area."
On the census detail available to the public 2011 and 2016, the suburb of Cranbourne South has a predominant religion of Western (Roman Catholic). The local community is not Hindu and not culturally associated with Hindu beliefs. I cannot see how this development will predominantly serve the local needs of Cranbourne South.

" To prevent places of assembly/worship from segregating a single dwelling or collection of dwellings from the surrounding residential area. Places of Assembly/Worship Policy (Version 1.3) Page 4 of 7  To encourage places of assembly/worship to be planned and designed to cause minimal loss of amenity, privacy and convenience to people living in nearby dwellings.  To ensure that the use and development will have minimal impact on the area, with respect to the design of the building, traffic, car parking, access."

There is one entry and exit in use for what may be a growing establishment. Though there may be restriction in numbers in the initial application process as to the capacity, I believe this poses a safety risk to the community as well as impinging on the communities reasonable access and use of their properties. This is related to both access, noise, function times and environmental waste contaminants. This centre sounds multi- functional and I am concerned that there will be little monitoring of a collection of dwellings serving multiple functions without respect to the permitted limitations.
I especially make note, that other places of worship in the same vicinity, have breached capacity at various times, causing traffic disruptions and over use of the land.

5.1 Performance Criteria – What are the requirements of this policy? This section of the Policy details Council’s requirements.
5.1.1 Location 
Places of assembly/worship in residential areas: - must only establish on roads that are designed to carry high levels of through (or non-local) traffic; and, - should preferably be located adjacent to existing or planned commercial or community-based uses such as shops, schools, community centres, major transport interchanges etc, or open space linkages.

This land is situated on Brown's Rd. It is one of 4 main roads that travels through the town of Cranbourne South. There is currently only one store in Cranbourne South that serves the community. It is unlikely that this place of worship and education could be sufficiently supported by this single local amenity.

There is currently significant roadwork on Brown's Rd which would immediately limit access to this property and might I add, reduces the visibility of the property's planning application from locals. It is quite possible for locals to not be aware of this proposed use of land and be denied the opportunity to object.

Thank you for your consideration of my concerns.
K.