Questions raised about share house planning permits

A KINGSTON Councillor has warned locals are being left out of the loop when developments of small-scale, shared housing are proposed to be built nearby.

Cr Geoff Gledhill wants more scrutiny of share house plans.

A KINGSTON Councillor has warned locals are being left out of the loop when developments of small-scale, shared housing are proposed to be built nearby.

A single storey, shared accommodation facility is mooted for McDonald St, Mordialloc, but under the Victorian Planning Provisions, is exempt from needing a permit.

Kingston planning and development general manager Jonathan Guttmann said the building would have eight single rooms, a communal kitchen and laundry.

Cr Geoff Gledhill said while diversity of housing was essential, the permit exemption meant this type of proposed development wasn’t advertised and locals weren’t informed.

“It creates concern among residents when there’s a proposal for one,” Cr Gledhill said.

“I think residents say on the whole, ‘well look, we know this type of housing can exist, but what we’re more comfortable with is when a local body (such as a council) gets the chance to review what happens’.”

Victorian Planning Provisions allow an existing building to be used as a share house if it doesn’t have more than 10 habitable rooms, is in a residential area and provides self-contained accommodation, but permits may be required to build a share house where overlays apply.

Mr Guttmann said the McDonald St site was in the appropriate zone and wasn’t covered by any overlays.

A government spokesman said the permit exemption was introduced in 1989 to reduce discrimination against disadvantaged people seeking low-cost housing and to help women fleeing domestic violence.

Cr Gledhill said there was a strong expectation that councils would review the plans of proposed multi-unit developments to ensure they met the relevant guidelines.

“Here we have a situation where people can effectively build a multi-unit development and they’re exempt from that,” Cr Gledhill said.

“There has to be a diversity of housing, but it’s an unnecessary loophole perhaps and it goes back to the community having confidence their rights and protections are being duly considered by the responsible authority and at the moment they’re not.”

Cr Gledhill said a meeting with the relevant minister would be worthwhile to discuss how the process could be more inclusive and transparent.

”Council will continue to monitor the works on site to ensure they comply with the planning scheme,” Mr Guttmann said.