Wodonga mayor Kev Poulton indicates planning rules would still permit bottle shop in Junction Place

Kev Poulton was commenting after the council decided this week to maintain existing zoning rules for the area which was subject to a failed bid to build a Dan Murphy's liquor barn.

Prefacing his comments by saying he was "no town planner", Cr Poulton suggested a bottle shop could be achieved if somebody had the mindset and finances to pursue it.

"How long is a piece of a string?" Cr Poulton said.

"Could it happen? I think people would be foolish, if they've seen the community speak in the past, to go down that path again, but at the end of the day that's their decision and sometimes progress plays a part in this too."

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Cr Poulton noted some ratepayers wanted an alcohol outlet at Junction Place.

"Whilst you haven't seen people vocally say 'I want a bottle shop in the middle of my city' and put their names to that, let me tell you as a person who gets both sides of the story, yep there's people there that actually thought we stuffed up by having any motion against it," he said.

Wodonga councillor Ron Mildren voted against keeping the existing zoning and authorising the council chief executive to enter into negotiations with Development Victoria over a memorandum of understanding for the oversight of Junction Place.

He argued the MoU would relegate councillors to "informed bystanders" and result in planning applications not going to council.

Cr Poulton on Tuesday declined to comment on Cr Mildren's outlook, but described the MoU as a "strong enough implement".

Asked about concerns from Engage Wodonga over a planned community reference group for Junction Place, Cr Poulton noted councillors could be voted out before querying the role of online commentary.

"From a group driving an agenda, I guess on a social media landscape, is this the world we all want to enter into in a democratic society, I'm not too sure," Cr Poulton said.

"I think comfortably if you look at the experience of Development Victoria, what council does and what we've all learnt, I think we're going to get a damned good outcome."

Cr Poulton declined to say when he expected the community reference group to first meet.

He likened the situation to having to come together for a family Christmas lunch around the one table.

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