Developers submit plans for 41 houses and townhouses on Grovedale block, despite previous rejection

Developers have renewed a bid to replace one home with more than 40 houses and townhouses on a large residential block in Grovedale, just over a year after a similar proposal was rejected.

DEVELOPERS have renewed a bid to replace one home with more than 40 houses and townhouses on a large residential block in Grovedale, just over a year after a similar proposal was rejected.

Villawood Homes and Eden Builders have lodged a planning permit application with the City of Greater Geelong to build 41 houses and townhouses on an 8093sq m Marshalltown Rd property in Grovedale, at an expected cost of $8m.

The proposal includes two four bedroom, nine three-bedroom and 30 two-bedroom dwellings, all but four of which would be double-storey, with the property sizes ranging from 86sq m to 181sq m.

The planning application submission comes after the city last year rejected a proposal to build 42 dwellings on the site, citing its opposition to the proposed density of development, traffic impacts, the “transition of built form to surrounding properties”, the removal of too many trees and the number of proposed crossovers.

“The proposed dwelling density is excessive and inconsistent with the objectives of Clause 21.06-3 (Urban Consolidation) and Council’s Housing Diversity Strategy,” the city’s refusal to grant a planning permit notice noted.

“The proposal is an overdevelopment of the site.”

VCAT member Michael Deidun in May 2020 supported the city’s rejection of the planning permit, but signalled the removal of trees had been a key issue rather than overdevelopment concerns.

“I find that the proposed development is an appropriate response to the existing and preferred neighbourhood character for this locality,” Mr Deidun said. “I am not persuaded that the proposal should be judged or refused on the basis of a density assessment.”

“Through the failure to properly identify and protect the appropriate existing trees on the review site, the proposed development has failed to respond to this key part of the existing and preferred neighbourhood character. As such, I consider that I have no option but to refuse to grant a permit for the proposed development.

“However, in refusing to grant a permit I note that the fundamentals of the design before me are appropriate for this locality, subject to an appropriate analysis of which of the existing trees should be retained, and how the development should be modified to provide for their safe retention.”

A September letter sent to the city on behalf of the applicants noted the VCAT member’s lack of concern with the density of the then-42 dwelling application.

“In contrast the member was supportive of the design elements and broad policy support for the proposal,” the letter noted.

The planning application will remain open for community consultation until December 8.

Originally published as Developers submit plans for 41 houses and townhouses on Grovedale block, despite previous rejection