19 April 2023

Amended Chisholm KFC proposal knocked back by ACT planning authority

| Travis Radford
Join the conversation
54
kfc

A development application for a fast food chain at Chisholm Shops has been refused. Photo: File.

The ACT Planning and Land Authority has labelled the proposed KFC at Chisholm shops an “overdevelopment” in their decision to refuse the controversial plans.

The published decision also cited concerns about the impact on vehicle and pedestrian movements, a lack of parking options, and the proposal itself being “unclear and contradictory”.

Chisholm Village Pty Limited lodged the $1.2 million proposal for the KFC and drive-through, car wash facilities, supermarket click-and-collect facilities and six parking spaces in 2022.

Purdon Planning later amended the original plans in early 2023 in response to community criticism, including a petition.

One of the reasons listed in the nearly 300-signature-strong petition to the ACT Legislative Assembly against the proposal was that a fast-food outlet would be detrimental to the community’s health.

The petition also referred to a failed McDonald’s proposal put forward by Chisholm Village for a different site within the same shopping complex, which also attracted community criticism.

But the authority found fast food outlets were a permissible use of the proposed KFC site, which currently houses a car park, but refused “this particular configuration of the development”.

READ MORE Chisholm Shops KFC falls fowl of some local residents

Other concerns cited in the petition included a negative economic impact on nearby small business owners and the location of the KFC being unsafe for vehicles and pedestrians.

While the authority paid little attention to the former point, the impact on vehicles and pedestrians formed a large part of the reasoning given for the development’s refusal.

These impacts included “too many potential vehicle and pedestrian conflict points [and] potential for queuing and ‘overspill’ into the road network”.

The combination of increasing parking demand and reducing the number of available parking spaces to six was also listed as a concern.

The authority also found some detail was lacking in the development application.

“The description of the proposal was inconsistent with the set of plans provided and no further clarity was provided through any of the supporting documentation,” the report said.

Chisholm Village spokesperson James Tsalikis said in a statement that Chisholm respected the authority’s decision and was exploring their options.

“We strongly believe that our proposed development will be a positive addition to the community, providing much-needed services and amenities,” he said.

“It is a shame the politicisation of this proposal has set back the Chisholm Group Centre’s ongoing revitalisation.

“We believe the established planning rules should apply equally to all and that submissions be assessed on their merit, independently by the statutory body, rather than by the whims of a few loud commentators.”

READ MORE Toilet block dethrones burger giant from taking Chisholm Tavern

Mr Tsalikis said the suggestion Chisholm Village was an inappropriate location for a fast food outlet was disappointing and that the KFC development could co-exist alongside small businesses.

“We believe that a new development will … bring additional foot traffic and customers to the area. I also believe in fair competition and the right of businesses to operate in a competitive marketplace,” he said.

“A new business, whether it is a multinational company or a small local business, will bring benefits to the community, including job opportunities and increased economic activity.”

Mr Tsalikis highlighted that Chisholm had also consulted with traffic experts to ensure road safety and that a parking assessment showed there was sufficient off-site parking.

Brindabella Greens MLA Johnathan Davis said he had heard concerns from “hundreds” of constituents about the proposed development and welcomed the news it had been refused.

“The owners of the Chisholm shopping centre continue to keep the former tavern [on the site of Chisholm Village’s failed McDonald’s development] sitting empty and derelict while they’ve been trying to push through this development application for a KFC as if they’re trying to essentially force the community into accepting what they want, or alternatively, they’ll get nothing at all,” he said.

Mr Davis said the situation demonstrated why a vacancy tax on commercial and residential properties was necessary.

Join the conversation

54
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Got knocked back for the pure reason the government doesn’t want to say Tugggernong is growing. Or as the minister always says ‘Tuggers’

HiddenDragon7:05 pm 20 Apr 23

ACTPLA’s acknowledgement that overdevelopment is even conceptually possible in Canberra is a precedent worth noting – or maybe just a clerical error which will never, ever be repeated.

I hate to say it folks, but I just love KFC! KFC in Chisholm might be a bit out of the way for me but I am sure there would many Tuggeranong locals who would welcome an outlet in Chisholm and be waiting in the line-up to sink their teeth into the stuff. KFC also creates employment for young locals.
I became addicted to KFC when living around the corner from one of its outlets a few years back. I just loved the stuff! I overindulged and piled on the kilos from my Friday night binges. Through personal choice I eventually gave it up.
KFC currently operates all over Australia and has done for many years. Many people know their limits in eating certain foods and there are plenty of bad foods throughout Australia and in Canberra. We all decide what we want to eat.
I have a problem with the politicians who have been getting involved in this issue. Who decides what we eat and when certain food outlets can exist or demonised over others?
Where does it end?

No votes are just self interested parties looking after themselves,

Capital Retro8:22 pm 19 Apr 23

Because this proposal is situated next to Coles supermarket at Chisholm it is opportune to mention that virtually overnight this week, the manned checkout booths have disappeared at Coles they and have been replaced by only self-checkout ones. There is only one entrance and one exit to the store now also.

The only choices left are “cash or card”.

How many jobs lost?

Is there a third option to cash or card I’m not aware of?

Capital Retro11:21 am 20 Apr 23

The context was that the new checkouts are either cash or card – that’s what the sign says. There are no manned checkouts to use and yes, there is another option being welfare vouchers issued by charities and social security agencies. I don’t know how this will affect the users of these.

Obviously you have never been to a supermarket.

I refuse to go through a self-serve checkout! I will continue to go through their other checkouts or they can give me a discount to go through their self-serves!

Capital Retro9:42 pm 20 Apr 23

There aren’t any “other checkouts” at Coles Chisholm Jack D so you will starve to death.

Rubbish! I was there this morning. They have redesigned the area and extended the self serve, but there are still four manned checkouts, three of which were open.

Capital Retro1:45 pm 29 Apr 23

Indeed they have but that was after customers expressed outrage that there were no operating checkouts.

It’s proven that KFC is the worst of the traditional fast foods. Feeding that stuff to your kids is child abuse. I know not a reason for officially knocking it back, but thank good. Just look around Tuggers population – definitely no more fast food outlets needed.

Need KFC there . Go ahead with it.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.