Box Hill neighbours outraged at developer’s VCAT appeal on old St Leo’s site

NEIGHBOURS to a proposed 310-home development rejected by Whitehorse Council are “outraged” the state planning tribunal has resurrected the project.

Hay St, Box Hill South. This site is set for a big development, which is going before a panel next month after council decided it couldn't make a decision.

NEIGHBOURS to a proposed 310-home development rejected by Whitehorse Council are “outraged” the state planning tribunal has resurrected the project.

People living near the site in Hay St, Box Hill South were jumping for joy in March this year after the council reversed its approval of the development, which included a mix of apartment buildings of up to seven storeys, houses, townhouses and a retirement village for the 4.94ha site.

RELATED: Flooding, traffic jam fears for proposed Box Hill South development

RELATED: Whitehorse Council reverses approval of 310-home development in Hay St, Box Hill South

Objector Tracey Suidgeest said she was were overjoyed the council’s decision had killed off the proposal because developer Canaan Holdings would not be able to appeal it to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Objectors in the community celebrated in March when Whitehorse Council reversed its decision to approve a 310-dwelling development in Box Hill South. Picture: Eugene Hyland

But last month Canaan Holdings took another legal route to the tribunal, successfully challenging that the council did not have the authority to rescind its approval of the proposal in February.

“We are outraged,” Ms Suidgeest said.

“Now we’ve got to go through all this anguish again.

“This is still clearly such an overdevelopment for the area and it’s going to create traffic chaos, increase the threat of flooding and there’s a lack of infrastructure in the area for something as huge as this.”

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Ms Suidgeest said objectors’ final hopes of quashing the development laid with Planning Minister Richard Wynne, to whom they would be sending a petition.

“We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure the minister knows this should not go ahead.”

Whitehorse Mayor Philip Daw said the council would begrudgingly follow the tribunal’s orders to send the proposal to Mr Wynne for approval.

“Given that the pursuit of any legal options would have had uncertain outcomes and involved an exposure to considerable costs, council is complying with the VCAT declarations but making it clear to the Minister for Planning that it does not support the adopted amendment or proposed planning permit,” Mr Daw said.

Mr Daw said the council is seeking an urgent meeting with Mr Wynne.

Canaan Holdings did not return the Whitehorse Leader’s phone calls.