Food Star Knox: Filthy smorgasbord restaurant demolished

Burwood Highway used to be the smorgasbord restaurant capital, but a grubby Wantirna South eatery has finally been demolished.

The eyesore Food Star Knox restaurant has finally been demolished.

After years sitting as a neglected eyesore, a filthy Wantirna South smorgasbord restaurant has finally been demolished.

The bulldozers have moved in at the old Food Star restaurant on Burwood Highway, with the block now cleared.

The all-you-can-eat-restaurant was hit with $85,000 in fines for shocking food safety breaches and closed down in 2017.

The eatery, opposite Westfield Knox, operated for more than 20 years, but after closing became run-down and covered in graffiti.

Local residents were happy to see it go.

“About time,” Krissy B Loughnan said on Knox Leader’s Facebook page, while Bobbi-Jane Johnston said: “Better late than never!”

The site is now set to be transformed into an eight-storey community housing project.

Community Housing (Victoria) Limited (CHVL) is planning to build a mix of quality one and two bedroom apartments, set to be offered at less than market rental rates to people on low to moderate incomes.

The block has now been cleared.

In a statement, CHVL said it was proceeding through the planning process and anticipate receiving a town planning permit in August and a building permit in November.

The organisation said Knox Council and neighbouring residents had been consulted and a response was prepared for the consideration of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and the Minister Housing.

“Subject to that time frame, pre-construction work will commence in November 2022 and aim to be completed by February 2025,” it said.

“As always, time frames are subject to potential change due to factors outside of our control however, we will continue to keep the community up to date as things progress.”

Details: chvl.org.au