Neighbours allegedly pour petrol down drain as Seaford rooming house dispute escalates
Seaford residents fear a new rooming house will be home to ex-crooks fresh out of prison, with one unknown objector allegedly going to extreme lengths to stop the build.
South East
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The construction of a Seaford rooming house has sparked a war in a suburban street, with objectors allegedly going to extreme lengths to stop the build.
And the owner of the Railway Pde development claims he will file a restraining order against one neighbour he believes poured petrol down the drains, allegedly causing $20,000 of damage.
It comes after residents were left outraged to discover a State Government rooming house planning loophole meant the owner was not required to get a permit to construct the nine-bedroom, 12-person house.
The legislation provides a permit exemption for rooming houses in residential areas if the building is less than 300sq m, will accommodate no more than 12 people and provides no more than nine bedrooms only accessible internally.
Neighbour and lifelong Seaford resident Ray Stirling, who did a letterbox drop informing others of the build, told the Leader he feared the rooming house would be occupied by ex-criminals fresh out of prison and searching for cheap accommodation.
“I’ve lived on Airlie Grove which had (ex-criminal) boarding houses, they’re terrible,” he said.
“We had people asking us for money and cigarettes … there were cars broken into on the street.”The owner, who would not be named, told the Leader the house would be for “young professionals” including students who wanted to live close to the beach.
“If I’m building affordable housing for $250 per week for people that can’t afford it in the community, why wouldn’t that be considered a good thing?” he said.
“I’m building housing for people that can’t afford rent in Victoria and (objectors) are destroying that potential.”
There are 73 rooming houses in the City of Frankston but council could not confirm the occupations or backgrounds of the people who lived inside.
Mr Stirling said it was “absurd” that residents were not allowed to view plans for the development, and that Victorians had to obtain a permit to make alterations to their house while rooming houses were exempt.
“Council recognises that access to housing is a core human need and that rooming houses often provide an affordable accommodation option to people in critical situations,” Frankston Mayor Cr Sandra Mayer told the Leader.
“However, regulations regarding rooming houses are set by the State Government and council does not have a direct role in supporting or facilitating their construction.”
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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