Stonnington Council gives go ahead to add height on new hotel at Chadstone shopping centre

IT’S already Australia’s biggest shopping centre, now the owners of Chadstone want to build its new hotel three storeys higher than first planned — but not everyone is happy.

Stonnington Council has agreed to allow Chadstone Shopping Centre to increase the height of its proposed hotel to 13 storeys. Picture: Supplied

CHADSTONE Shopping Centre has won approval to build its new hotel three floors higher, a decision that one nearby resident says will result in an invasion of privacy.

In February Urbis, acting on behalf of the centre’s owners, wrote to Stonnington Council seeking changes to its planning permit issued in 2013 which would allow the hotel to be built taller.

Stonnington councillors approved the applicant’s request at last week’s council meeting, meaning the hotel once complete will stretch up to 13 floors instead of the previously approved 10.

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The number of rooms inside the hotel will also rise from 216 to 248, with the applicant justifying the increase by saying it was necessary to tap into the strong tourist market.

Stonnington Council has sought assurance that parking in the area will not be adversely impacted and that more trees will be planted along the hotel’s front.

But Hughesdale’s Harry Ni said extra trees would not shield his and surrounding homes from the prying eyes of strangers and he was unhappy with the council’s decision.

“I was very disappointed. Our concern is just our privacy, like we’re being invaded if they go too high,” Mr Ni said.

How the hotel will look. Picture: Supplied

Cr Sally Davis noted at last week’s Stonnington Council meeting that the original hotel plan had been given planning approval by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in 2013 after it was first knocked back by the council.

This meant the council’s hands were tied when considering the current application, she said.

“We’re very constrained in what we can do,” she said.

Chadstone spokeswoman Ali O’Shea said the centre’s co-owners welcomed the council’s decision, and the hotel was expected to “enjoy strong demand” due to its location near businesses and education facilities.

“The hotel development will cater for the more than 20 million visitors from Melbourne, interstate and overseas that visit Chadstone every year, as well as the 100,000 people that work in the Chadstone and Monash area,” Ms O’Shea said.

Chadstone is the country’s largest shopping centre and launched the first completed stage of its $660 million expansion last year.

The total cost of the new hotel and an office building which has already been completed will amount to more than $50 million.

Councillors Marcia Griffin, John Chandler, Matthew Koce and Steve Stefanopoulos were absent from last week’s meeting.