Three-storey building plan a ‘threat’ to Upper Ferntree Gully

THE leafy gateway to the Dandenong Ranges could be threatened under a new plan for Upper Ferntree Gully, while the suburb’s train station and visitor information centre could get heritage protection.

Yarra Valley Tourism is planning to close the Upper Ferntree Gully tourist office and move it to Sassafras. The volunteers are unhappy because they say 17 per cent of visitors come to the centre because they're doing the 1000 Steps which starts close by. They say the new venue won't benefit volunteers or tourists. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

THE leafy gateway to the Dandenong Ranges could be threatened under a new plan for Upper Ferntree Gully, a Knox councillor says.

And the suburb’s train station and visitor information centre could get heritage protection, as part of the Draft Upper Gully Plan, which includes a strategic proposal on how the area will look into the future, and a streetscape design project.

Dobson Ward Cr Karin Orpen told a council meeting a move to allow three-storey building heights along part of the southern side of Burwood Highway was against the community’s wishes, who wanted a height limit of two storeys.

She said extensive community consultation already done on the issue — which had cost the council about $150,000 — had been ignored and overturned “with the swipe of a pen”.

“I’m very disappointed, because to me I believe that is a betrayal of my community, it’s made a farce of all of this consultation,” Cr Orpen said. Buildings in the area can now be up to 7.5m tall, and council officers had recommended height limits of two storeys, or 8.5m.

But Cr Peter Lockwood successfully moved a motion to allow three-storey buildings, and said it was important to make sure the area was viable long-term.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Should three-storey buildings be allowed in Upper Ferntree Gully? Tell us below

Also at the meeting, Cr Darren Pearce slammed a move to protect the visitor information centre at 1211 Burwood Highway and the train station, likening it to a previous unsuccessful push to get Boronia Mall heritage protection.

The council officer’s report said an independent consultant found the sites had “local heritage significance” and the heritage overlay should be amended to include them.

Cr Pearce said that was “a joke”, and would be pointless as both sites were on VicTrack land.

But the council’s city development director Angelo Kourambas said it would give the council an advocacy position.

The strategic part of the plan will go out for public exhibition, and the council will ask Planning Minister Richard Wynne to approve an associated planning scheme amendment which would also go out for consultation.

The streetscape project will go into the design stage.