Magill residents launch campaign against Oxford Living proposal to build 29 townhouses in Alton Ave
Residents in a quiet eastern suburbs street are campaigning against a huge development they say “looks like a ghetto” – in an area where the council was so concerned about urban infill it got special permission to change its planning laws.
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Campbelltown Council’s bid to ease urban infill is facing one of its strongest tests with a developer wanting to build almost 30 new homes in a quiet suburban street.
Oxford Living lodged an application for the development before the council obtained State Government approval last year to increase its minimum block size from 150sq m to 250sq m.
The company originally wanted to build a retirement village on the corner of Alton Ave and Bricknell St, Magill, before abandoning the proposal because of community opposition.
It instead opted to seek approval from the council’s planning assessment panel to demolish several homes it had purchased over the past 20 years to create a 5172sq m site for 29 two-storey townhouses.
The proposal has upset 22 nearby property owners, with 14 seeking permission to speak at the panel’s monthly meeting when it considers the application next Tuesday.
The panel has approved hundreds of townhouses in recent years following the previous Labor government’s bid to combat urban sprawl by increasing more housing near major arterial routes, schools and shopping centres – provoking widespread community criticism.
A report by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) last year identified 12,000 homes had been demolished across Adelaide between 2012 and 2018 to clear sites for 18,245 new dwellings – predominantly double-storey townhouses and units.
The Oxford Living proposal has seen Alton Ave resident Sandra Mestros create a Facebook page opposing urban infill which has attracted a strong metropolitan-wide following.
Mrs Mestros said she was not opposed to development but believed it should be sustainable and in character with surrounding areas.
“We are extremely concerned about the impact this project will have on our standard of living,” she said.
“There are 22 residents directly affected, everyone feels the same.
“We are not opposed to new developments, but we are opposed to this development because of its size, scale and density.”
Alton Ave resident Willa Yang said her family had moved into the area because of its quietness.
“We are concerned with the size of the building development across the street and the number of apartments,” she said.
“This will impact us with increased parking and traffic issues.
“We are also concerned for the safety of my young children who often walk to school.”
Mrs Yang said she thought the design of the proposed townhouses was “poor and small and not in keeping with the area”.
Another Alton Ave resident, Mei Lee, said she would be looking at a 7m-high wall “all day, every day” if the development was approved.
“It will be only one metre away from my west boundary and will dominate my rear living areas and garden,” she said.
“I will now have no natural light and will be living in the shadows for the rest of my life.”
Bricknell St resident Rod Hunt said the proposed townhouses “resemble cramped boxes and the entire development looks like a ghetto”.
“The Campbelltown area has always been known for its spaciousness and its pleasing environment, being located as it is in or near the foothills,” Mr Hunt said.
“That’s why many of us have chosen to live here. This particular development is so inappropriate for this area.”
Mr Hunt said he also had concerns about parking and increased traffic from the development.
“We are certainly not against development, indeed we would welcome a handsome and appropriate development on those blocks,” he said.
“We only ask that it is reasonable, that it doesn’t detract from the current residents’ lifestyle and wellbeing, and that it enhances our suburb and is not a blight on the landscape.”
Oxford Living’s planning consultant, UPRS, has submitted a report to Campbelltown Council saying the development complies with planning regulations, is not out of character with area, will not create parking issues and will provide sufficient private open space.