Residents win in fight against seven storey Hawthorn Rd development
The state’s planning tribunal has rejected a developer’s bid to build a seven-storey apartment in the heart of Caulfield South following community outcry over overshadowing, traffic and noise. But the fight might not be over yet.
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Plans to build a towering “concrete monstrosity” in the heart of Caulfield South have been quashed by the state’s planning tribunal.
It comes despite the developer knocking two levels off the original design in a bid to win over Glen Eira Council and neighbours.
The new proposal for a seven storey building at 371-377 Hawthorn Rd and 3 Olive St, which included 99 apartments, a supermarket and basement carparking, was blocked after VCAT members ruled the upper storeys were not set back far enough from Larch and Olive streets.
Neighbours’ concerns included noise, overshadowing and traffic.
Southern Metropolitan Sustainable Australia MP Clifford Hayes said it was a win for a community “under siege by developers”.
He said developers had been taking advantage of the lack of mandatory height controls in Caulfield.
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“It is great to see that, on this occasion, people power has prevailed over the greed of developers in Caulfield,” Mr Hayes said.
“The scale of this proposal and the lack of community consultation about preferred height controls in this area was a great concern.”
If the developer submitted new plans with increased the setbacks on the upper floors, the proposal would likely be approved, the tribunal ruled.