Anet McDonald, Castlemaine
I attended the recent Mount Alexander Shire Council meeting to address the new application for a new supermarket, shops and car parking complex, which is more than two times as large as their original application.
The proposal is to build this at the southern entrance to our historically distinguished town.
I did not speak up at the meeting as that’s not something I feel comfortable doing.
However, something that no one mentioned at the meeting is something that is close to my heart, and that is our wonderful welcoming roundabout into Castlemaine.
Castlemaine is a town with a unique character, rich heritage and history. At the present time, the entrance into our town from the south is unique and welcoming, with recognition to our goldfields heritage with a digger at the water wheel as you drive around a roundabout and drive past our open western reserve.
This proposal for a supermarket, shops and car parking complex will result in a huge increase in traffic, especially cars coming/returning through town to attend the supermarket and will put an added stress on our precious roundabout, which is such a welcoming and heritage asset to our town. But this could be lost, in favour of traffic lights to cope with the traffic to and from the supermarket.
This is an unacceptable consequence.
