South Yarra: Proposal for South Yarra medical centre rejected by Stonnington Council

At first the developers of this medical hub had modest plans. Then, according to one local, they got greedy. And with a busy shopping precinct nearby, it was always going to be a tough sell.

A move to double the amount of medical practitioners at a soon-to-be-built South Yarra development was knocked back by Stonnington councillors.

A last-minute bid by a developer to get double the amount of workers into a nearly completed inner east building has been shot down by Stonnington Council.

The five-storey development at 2-4 Chambers St in South Yarra, comprising 11 apartments above a ground floor medical practice, is having its finishing touches applied.

But after only being permitted a maximum of four practitioners to work out of the massive 290sq m street level space, Calibre Planning wanted to split it in two and double the amount of workers without providing any extra car spaces.

It also applied to extend the weekday opening hours up to 9pm and allow it to be open all day Saturday.

But councillors rejected the proposal, citing the area’s residential nature and the extreme lack of public parking considering its closeness to Chapel St, which was only 100m away via Lovers Walk.

The development is not far from South Yarra train station, with developers arguing that not as much carparking is needed as a consequence.

Joe Feng, who lives in Bon St, questioned whether the site was every only designed for four practitioners, considering the size.

“That seemed a bit of an overkill,” he said.

“It did seem a little interesting saying ‘we only want four’, then asking for this a few months before completion.”

The development can have 19 car spaces over two basement garage levels.

Some of the medical office space is wanted by allied health practice Melbourne KiDS Development Services, which provides medical support and therapy for families and children.

The organisation, based in Brunswick, has a five-month waiting list for its services and wanted the extended and Saturday hours to allow for parents working full-time to attend the clinic with their children.

Stonnington Cr Matthew Koce said there was not enough parking to support the proposal

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Cr John Chandler said Chandler St was “fully parked out all the time” due to its closeness to Chapel St.

“This proposal is wanting to double the number of practitioners for this facility with nowhere for them to park and nowhere for their patients to park,” he said.

“How many people are going to see a doctor who aren’t going to go by car. And it will operate later into the evening, which is okay in a commercial zone but not a residential.”