Council to vote on controversial Highton Village UDF plan, amid community objections

A controversial city plan to overhaul Highton Village, including a move to allow four-storey developments, could be approved by councillors this week.

Artist's impression of the Highton Village UDF

A CONTROVERSIAL city plan to overhaul Highton Village, including a move to allow four-storey developments, is poised to be approved by councillors this week.

The council will on Tuesday vote on a recommendation to adopt the Final Highton Village Urban Design Framework (UDF), establishing a series of actions to guide the future development of the popular location.

Artist's impression of the Highton Village UDF

The decision will come more than six years after the city began developing the plan, and after five separate community consultation periods – with major concerns raised by the community with numerous aspects of the UDF.

The framework includes five primary recommendations and projects, including to:

CONSOLIDATE commercial land uses within the retail core to promote a compact village centre;

PROMOTE high-quality mixed use development up to four storeys that respects the low-scale built form of the Village;

REDEVELOP the council car park for a mixed use development and carparking, in the long term;

REDESIGN the junction of Belle Vue Ave and Barrabool Rd to reduce vehicle conflicts; and

UNDERTAKE streetscape upgrade works in Barrabool Rd service lane, Village Walk, Belle Vue Arcade, the rear laneway and Belle Vue Ave to emphasise pedestrian routes and create a unified material palette throughout the village.

A city report noted the UDF would help reach the council’s goal of providing half of all future housing needs via urban infill.

The latest consultation period received 97 submissions, with a majority of feedback raising concerns with aspects of the plan, including changes to the main roundabout, additional pedestrian crossings and with the addition of a multi-use development.

“We do not want a huge mess of retail high rise buildings,” one community member said during the process.

A city response to concerns around “high rise development” argued the four-storey maximum was not considered high-rise, and would “respect” the existing character of the village.

Objections to the UDF have also received support from both the local South Barwon state Labor MP Darren Cheeseman and Liberal candidate Andrew Katos.

Mr Cheeseman warned against the UDF “destroying the iconic and peaceful village we know and love” while Mr Katos said he would not support “any proposals that destroy the character of Highton Village”.

Originally published as Council to vote on controversial Highton Village UDF plan, amid community objections