Dennington vow to continue the fight against The Lookout

Mr Dance said residents supported a facility but the Atkinsons Lane site was inappropriate. 

"First of all I would like to say I fully support a rehab centre, but I have grave reservations that it was sited in the wrong place," he said.

"I was very impressed with Michael Neoh's documentation and speech. I was equally impressed with the council giving him longer to speak. He made all the valid points we have been trying to get through to the committee driving The Lookout process. He summed up our feelings totally."

Mr Dance said a facility needed to be in the most appropriate location. 

"They have to be in the right place," he said. "David (Owen) to say he went there out there on numerous occasions to see how he would feel was great. It's got to go to VCAT. It helps the cause a little if the councillors don't support it. So I'm personally pleased with the process. Where it was going to be sited has almost potentially no impact or minimal impact on me, but the community association thought it was a cause we needed to fight for as it wasn't right for the community and for the people who were potentially going to use the place."

He said residents and the community association would present their objections at the upcoming VCAT  hearings.

"While the battle isn't over, it's edging in the right direction," he said. "It would have been a completely different attitude if the council had supported it last night.