Erica’s Bakehouse Project stalled by Council requirements.
“After 12 months and $35k worth of reports and consultant fees to try and satisfy Council requirements, we are now at a point where we see no resolution and have decided to change the direction for our bakery.
Unfortunately throwing money in to what seems to be a Council induced bottomless pit, is not feasible. We knew we had to contend with a fire overlay, heritage overlay, water catchment zone, no septic and a regional location that 90% of the council staff we dealt with, have not even visited. But this process has been another level of frustration, with goal posts being moved constantly and it costing us thousands every time Council change their mind or has a staffing change.
At this point we are not even up to advertising stage. We have several other triggers within our application, that once it would have gone through, Council would have been seeking thousands of dollars worth of fees.
So, our options are
1. Renovate the current building with minimal changes. Small enough to require the least amount of Council input and use the building purely as a bakery and have the actual shop front in a different location
2. Or source an existing building at a different location outside Baw Baw Council jurisdiction, rebuild the oven using as much of the current oven as possible and have the shop front/Cafe and baking in the same building. Leaving the current building in Erica to rot.
It is disappointing and to be frank, heartbreaking. The employment opportunities we were hoping to provide the locals is one issue, but also the opportunity for a destination bakery bringing tourists up to the region, is a such wasted opportunity.
But we are determined not to let this magnificent oven go to waste”
