Donvale development plan bound for VCAT

This development site had previously been approved for ten townhouses, now they want to squeeze in 23.

The narrow single access street will suffer congestion at the best of times with no room for passing. The exit on to Carbine street lands on top of a bus stop, and a roundabout that is usually backed up with primary school traffic.

This would be an ongoing issue for all, particularly as the street it exits onto is already carrying it’s design capacity load.

A CONTENTIOUS development in Donvale has been rejected by councillors.

The planning application for 23 two-storey homes was dismissed as an overdevelopment of the Carbine St site.

Cr Stephen O’Brien said though council planning officers recommended a permit be granted,  the plan had many flaws.

“It has unsafe vehicle access, goes against neighbourhood character and doesn’t constitute an incremental level of change,” he said.

“I think the community understands development is a given but not of this size and nature.”

Cr O’Brien said the development could be approved after significant changes.

“If we cut down the number of dwellings these issues would be addressed,” he said.

But Cr Geoff Gough said the proposal for the 5600sq m site met with planning scheme requirements and should have been approved.

“Yes, it’s a big change for the area but on a site this large in this zone the sky’s the limit,” he said.

Cr Gough said councillors needed to work on changing the planning policy, not rejecting compliant applications.

“Until we change the policy we are morally bound to support the planning scheme,” he said.

Cr Gough said he felt certain the developer would challenge the decision at VCAT.

 

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