A LOCAL business owner has vowed to keep fighting following Shire approval of a proposed expansion to the Donnybrook IGA.
The proposed expansion and upgrade includes a new liquor store and cafe, public toilets, upgraded car parks and a redesign of the layout of the supermarket, including changes to the location of the checkouts.
The Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup received 22 objection letters, including a petition, and one letter for the proposed expansion during the public consultation period.
Owner/Managers of Cellarbrations Donnybrook Ian and Louwana Venables have sworn to keep fighting the proposal.
“We’ve never once been against the expansion of their store, as improvements are always great for the community,” Mrs Venables said.
“What we’re against is the fact that they’re putting in a business that financially affects our business, and that therefore affects our everyday livelihood, our families and the families that work for us. Having two liquor stores will not survive in this town.”
Mrs Venables said while extending the supermarket could create more jobs, other jobs could be lost from her business.
“We believe it’s great to have competitive businesses that thrive, but not at someone’s expense - when we have three parking bays at the front of our store, convenience is always going to work for them,” she said.
She said they had tried more than once to gain approval for a drive through due to the lack of parking, and instead of people doing three laps to visit their shop, allowed them as a complimentary service to park in an adjacent lane.
“We take the goods out to the vehicle because we care about our customers, and try everything we can to provide that adequate service,” she said.
“We have run this store as a family for Donnybrook and it’s hard. It affects me personally because it’s not a job to me, it’s a lifestyle that I enjoy.”
Mrs Venables said she wanted to thank each and every local who had continued to support their business.
There are many at this time - the response has been overwhelming,” she said.
“We’re going to continue to fight it because we’re fighting for our store and our family and our time in Donnybrook. We’re going to lose big time – we’ve run the store for us, we want to retire here.
“Looking at local businesses, so many have already been affected in some way. It was never about the expansion, it was about putting in businesses that were already here and would affect other businesses.”
Donnybrook-Balingup Shire Chief Executive John Attwood said council members had debated the expansion extensively, but because the application was in compliance with relevant town planning zonings, had to approve it.
“Where developments comply with correct zoning, Council need to make planning decisions based on planning,” he said.
“We were aware of the concerns of other business owners and sympathetic to their views, however where land is appropriately zoned, Council is required to consider the application in accordance with the local planning scheme. Concerns relating to competition with existing local businesses falls outside of these planning considerations and cannot be used to justify a decision for refusal.”
There were six votes for the proposal and two abstentions due to financial interest.
IGA owner Graham Edwards said he was pleased to get Council approval, which now enabled him to move to the next stage of applying to the licensing court.