Community
31 July, 2026
Community objections shut down permit
A PETITION with 57 signatures and six other objections from the Lismore community has seen a permit refused for a billboard sign.
The permit was put before council with 10 conditions at this week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council, with a unanimous decision to refuse the permit despite the recommendation to approve.
The permit proposed a non-illuminated, double-sided sign erected at 9 Richardson Court, located at the southern corner of the proposed site to enable visibility from the Camperdown-Lismore Road.
Gawk town planner coordinator Aimee Trew was among those who made a deputation to council on behalf of the company.
Her deputation covered a number of the concerns raised in the objections made to the permit.
“On the size of sign – this is our standard format which has been found suitable for towns both larger and smaller than Lismore. It is not oversized for the location,” Ms Trew said,
“It sits within an industrial zone on a main road, which is an appropriate outcome for this site.
“On the commercial sizing, the consistent size of our signs across our network is not arbitrary – a uniform format means advertising can run across our entire network without being rebuilt or redesigned for each location.
“On character and rural feel, the sign is located in an industrial zone on the southern approach to town – away from the nominated and policy-guided gateway entries from the east and west.
“On the road safety, this was discussed in detail during the site visit and the permit contains conditions proposed to address every concern raised including strict content restrictions and static display only.”
Ms Trew said council’s planning officer assessed the application and found no planning basis for refusal.
“Where no policy prevents development and the planning scheme provides for it, the question before you is whether there is sound planning reason to refuse it,” she said.
“We have worked with the objectors and the planning department to propose conditions to satisfy those concerns, ensuring the appropriate use of the advertising space.
“This includes permit conditions prohibiting political advertising, fast food and alcohol content.
“On the skirting board, we have also offered to dedicate a space for community and wayfinding messages at no cost – the same arrangement we have on our existing sign in Simpson.”
Within the objections received, a number of issues were raised including the impact on drivers and road safety, noise amplification and redirection towards the township, disproportionate sizing of the sign in comparison to the location and township, lack of need or local benefit from the sign and lack of affordability to advertise on the signage for local businesses.
Objectors also felt the signage would have a detrimental impact to the character of Lismore, as well as the proposal not being compatible with the third theme of the Corangamite Shire Vision 2040 which seeks to protect and enhance a town’s heritage, character and lifestyle.
The Lismore Progress Association was among the objectors, insisting on restrictions to no political, fast food, alcohol or sexual-related advertising, no big-chain advertising which competes with local businesses and no private school advertising which competes with Lismore Primary School and Derrinallum P-12 College.
Other objections included the differences between the proposed sign and signage within Lismore and the broader shire, the potential for tree removal and negative impacts to adjoining properties.
An additional two deputations were made in response to the proposal from Lismore residents.
One of these was Chris Lang, who said he personally isn’t against billboards as a form of advertising but felt they were more suited to cities and industrial landscapes as opposed to Lismore.
“In their application, Gawk refers to the Corangamite Planning Scheme conditions – this scheme is adapted by municipalities from a state-based template, which so often deal with a wider view rather than dealing with small country towns,” he said.
“Dealing with a couple of points they make in the urban design is they contribute to a sense of place and cultural identity and ensure development provides landscaping which supports the amenity and attractiveness of the public realm and support rural economies to grow and diversify.
“I feel this particular sign would not achieve this for our town – it might for the wider shire, but not our town.
“One of the strategies to address innovation and research is to leverage the area’s private and public sector economies, competitive strengths and assets and cater to a diversity of employment types and scales.
“I think this doesn’t apply to our small town – it might to the state as a whole, but not to the small town.”
Councillor Ruth Gstrein moved an alternative motion to refuse the permit, saying the sign does not provide an acceptable response to the vision of the strategic direction and policies of the Corangamite Planning Scheme, does not provide an acceptable response to the purposes and designs guidelines, is not compatible with the amenity and visual appearance of the surrounding area and would not result in orderly planning of the area
“I really don’t understand why this site has been chosen in the first place, and that’s been backed up by the strong opposition from the local community which drew a number of submissions and a petition attracting 57 signatures,” she said.
“With the exception of two signatures, all who signed the petition were local people – there’s obviously a strong feeling in the Lismore community about this application.
“In their planning application, the applicant stated the surrounding area does not display a strong presence of advertising signage, reflecting predominantly rural and agricultural uses.
“Yes it is on industrial land, but it abuts rural living zone land and, as noted in the planner’s report, this area is rural-style character and there are no other advertising signs in the vicinity of Camperdown-Lismore Road.
“This billboard will change the character of this gateway to Lismore, and I believe will be an incompatible use of this site.”
Cr Nick Cole seconded the alternative motion.
“The petition took an hour and a half to get those 57 signature – that’s over 20 per cent of the population of Lismore,” he said.
“This is local people with local concerns about local issues, and that’s what a government is supposed to listen to.
“I have heard pretty strongly from the local people they’re not happy with the sign, and Lismore is a small town.
“One of the big problems I have in our area is all of the signs in our area seem to be pointing towards something outside of our shire – we’ve got plenty of things to see and do within our shire.”
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