Record 424 objections to Mecone Town Planning proposal for 85 townhouses in Boronia Rd Wantirna
PLANS for an 85-townhouse development in Wantirna have been smashed with the most objections to any housing proposal to go before Knox Council in a decade. But developers have been able to bypass the council and take their proposal straight to VCAT — here’s how they did it.
Outer East
Don't miss out on the headlines from Outer East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A PROPOSAL for a group of townhouses in Wantirna has attracted 424 objections — the most against any housing plan to go before Knox Council in a decade.
But the council won’t get to rule on the matter after it failed to make a decision within the statutory 60-day timeframe.
BAYSWATER’S TALLEST BUILDING DENIED BY KNOX COUNCIL BUT DECISION COULD GO TO VCAT
MILLER’S HOMESTEAD: BACKLASH OVER KNOX COUNCIL’S PLANS TO SELL 19TH CENTURY PROPERTY
KNOX HOMEOWNERS SAY LOSS OF PRIVACY GROWING ISSUE
Instead, the developer of the planned 85 townhouses on a 2ha block at 750 Boronia Rd appealed directly to VCAT.
Knox councillor Jackson Taylor said the plan had major design flaws with properties “crammed in wall to wall”.
“It lacks imagination. It’s townhouse after townhouse after townhouse like matchsticks one after the other,” Cr Taylor said.
“It has failed to establish any future quality of life for residents.”
Knox Mayor John Mortimore defended the council for not making a decision within the time limit.
“What a lot of developers do is the moment they lodge the application (with the council) they lodge with VCAT to get the ball rolling,’’ he said.
“It’s not a case of council sitting back on its hands — if we call for additional information on something the clock doesn’t stop ticking, until suddenly you’ve reached that point.”
The proposed site is next door to the Hungarian Community Centre.
According to the application, it would include 68 four-bedroom townhouses and the remainder would be two and three bedrooms.
“Not only is that stupid it also creates an unsafe environment for children playing in that area,” Cr Taylor said.
Cr Peter Lockwood added it was a “very poor development”.
“If it’s built it will be a dump,” he said.
“I just can’t get over how bad this development is.”
The 424 objectors listed a range of concerns including issues with parking and traffic access to Boronia Rd, lack of landscaping and removal of vegetation
The applicant, Mecone Town Planning, did not respond to requests for comment.
MORE NEWS
LABOR PLEDGES HURSTBRIDGE LINE OVERHAUL
MUMS TURNED OFF SHOPPING CENTRE PARENT ROOMS BY TEENS HAVING SEX
Donvale mansion with its own hair salon ‘like a mini resort’
A lavish home on a block spanning more than 4000sq m, featuring everything from a cocktail room to a hair salon is up for sale. See what it might sell for.
Berwick man killed in crash remembered as ‘child at heart’
Friends of a Berwick man who died in a tragic crash in Yellingbo have remembered the car lover as being “like a brother” and a “child at heart”.