Residents of Black Rock are outraged by second proposed Dan Murphy’s application in one year
An application for a Dan Murphy’s store has already received 500 objections as residents of a Bayside suburb say there is a serious drinking problem.
South East
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Angry residents of a blue-chip bayside suburb are preparing for another fight against a major alcohol retailer’s attempts to build a megastore with fears of already rising alcohol-related crime.
Endeavour Group plans to build a Dan Murphy’s in Black Rock were initially knocked by Bayside City Council before it was dismissed at VCAT in January.
However, the door was left ajar as the decision was based on the group not having done a thorough cumulative assessment before another application was submitted earlier this month.
The proposal has already received about 500 objections from the community with locals saying the town, which has “no shortage of alcohol”, doesn’t need another bottle shop.
“No one is struggling to get a drink around here,” Hakan Dellal a member of the group fighting the proposal said.
Black Rock has about half the population of surrounding towns Sandringham and Beaumaris, yet there are 43 active liquor licences and 49 in the larger towns, according to data collected from the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor registration.
“Most restaurants and cafes along the street are licenced, including the places down on the beach.”
In the year to March 2021 Crime Statistics Victoria found Bayside suburbs recorded a 10 per cent increase of crime — with family violence incidents rising from 689 to 761, as hospital admissions for alcohol-related harm increased.
On Bluff Rd alone people can choose from two packaged liquor outlets with another around the corner and a BWS and Dan Murphy’s all within 5km of the proposed site.
The council rejected the first proposal as it wasn’t “satisfied it was an acceptable location for the sale of packaged liquor”.
Black Rock’s centre sprawls across a narrow two-lane street, with restaurants, cafes and small shops serviced by on-street parking or two small public carparks.
Residents argue a Dan Murphy’s would grind traffic to a halt as stock trucks would clog the traffic flow of the small strip.
Mr Dellal also said emergency vehicles frequently drive down Bluff Rd transporting passengers to Sandringham Hospital which could “cause other issues”.
A Woolworths application was rejected by council three times before it was approved, which concerns the committee fighting this proposal.
“They’re going to keep going until they wear us down just like with Woolies,” Mr Dellal said.
“They’re a huge group with infinite resources and we are just a group of residents who are fighting for our town.”
Endeavour Group was contacted for comment.
