Council endorses plans for five-storey high-rise in Essendon
The Moonee Valley community has lost the battle to stop a five-storey apartment complex popping up in Essendon. But neighbours say it will destroy the character of the area.
North West
Don't miss out on the headlines from North West. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A five-storey apartment complex will be built at the site of a former retirement lodge after Moonee Valley council ignored neighbours calls to knock the plans back.
The apartment complex will be built at the old Mount Alexander Retirement Lodge at 955-957 Mount Alexander Rd, Essendon.
The application was just passed at the council meeting on February 25 in a split vote.
But neighbours say the development will destroy the character of the area.
Moonee Valley’s Design and Development Overlay dictates that prospective high rise buildings should not exceed a height of 18m.
The initial high rise plans at Mt Alexander Rd exceeded this by 5.8m, but council moved an amended motion to reduce the complex from six to five stories - keeping in line with the DDO.
Cr Nicole Marshall said there had been a lot of emotion surrounding the application.
“We can’t refuse developments because we don’t like them,” she said.
“The battle in my mind is making sure there is no loss of neighbourhood amenity.”
Cr Cam Nation said he didn’t support the decision, because in his view, the build was not compliant.
“The height is above the recommended height, the front setbacks exceed the minimum setback requirements and it fails to comply with the rear setbacks as well,” he said.
But Cr John Sipek feared the development could become much worse if the proposal was sent to VCAT.
“When applications go to VCAT they get taken out of councils hands, and that means all bets are off,” he said.
Essendon’s Mary Weston, who lives next to the site, said if the development went ahead it would be just devastating.
“It’s out of character with the buildings adjacent to the complex, it’s just the height and the invasion of privacy,” she said.
“Mount Alexander Rd is already congested and we don’t need anymore high rise developments.”
Other complaints from neighbours included the potential to block out natural sunlight, insufficient carpark allotments, an increase in noise pollution, strain on public transport and a loss of vegetation due to overshadowing.
Ms Weston said the community had a courtyard area behind the site with a herb garden, with the plants likely to perish if the development got the green light.
MORE: WHERE TO GET A TASTE OF THE PHILIPPINES IN FOOTSCRAY
ELECTRICAL BOX ART TELLS ABORIGINAL STORY OF WATER
WEST GATE TUNNEL ROCKS POLLUTE MOONEE PONDS CREEK
The complex was planned to house 48 dwellings, which is expected to be reduced with the new amended planning permit.
The 1380sq m complex is also expected to contain two commercial tenancies at ground floor and two levels of basement with 60 car spaces.
The council received 23 objections from 20 properties about the development.
Terrain Consulting Group, who is the developer for the complex, declined to comment.