Korowa Girls School: Glen Iris school plays hard ball on $12m expansion plans

A private girls school has thumbed its nose at the local council and Australia’s F1 GP boss over its expansion plans, with a VCAT showdown looming.

A private girls school in Melbourne’s inner east is set for a VCAT showdown with the local council after it refused to budge on its $12m expansion plans.

Glen Iris’ Korowa Anglican Girls School wants to build a three-storey early learning centre with two levels of underground parking on Malvern Rd, near its Ranfurlie Cres campus.

The building would contain room for 122 children in childcare and 132 primary school students.

Stonnington Council received 24 objections, including from Australian F1 Grand Prix chief executive Andrew Westacott and wife Tina, who live nearby.

Objectors raised concerns about building setbacks, street parking and traffic, impact on neighbourhood character and the project creating an oversupply of childcare facilities in the area.

Ms Westacott said she and her husband had major concerns about traffic flow and parking, particularly at drop-off times, if the project went ahead.

“They’re saying there are going to be 900 pick-up and drop offs a day, there’s no capacity for that in that section of Malvern Rd,” she said.

“It’s jam-packed as it is … and I don’t know anyone who just drops off any child at a childcare centre without walking them in.”

Australian F1 Grand Prix boss Andrew Westacott and wife Tina are opposing an early learning centre development proposed by a girls school near their Glen Iris home.

But the school wasn’t satisfied and instead referred the matter to the tribunal as a decision was not made by the council within 60 days.

Cr Jami Klisaris said council officers held talks with the school to try and address residents and the council’s concerns over the “complex” application.

“The city’s planning team is of the view that each application is different and that it is better to be outcome focused rather than time focused,” she said.

“Unfortunately, council’s attempts to achieve a positive outcome were not accepted by the applicant.”

In its planning document submitted in May, the school said the project would cater to community needs and had “achieved a careful balance of respecting the amenity of nearby residents” with its built form, operating times, traffic flow and carparking.

The council will discuss the application at its November 15 meeting.

Korowa’s principal Helen Carmody declined to comment on the matter as it was now before the tribunal.