Wyndham council has confirmed it will notify the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) that it supports a proposed $11 million building development in Tarneit.
At a planning committee meeting on Tuesday 13 February, councillors backed a recommendation to support the construction of 43 townhouse-style dwellings located at 38 Terracotta Avenue.
As part of the design, the current number of car parking spaces would also be reduced, parking spaces for non-residents will be designated and communal open spaces will be built in.
The applicant Maple Living, originally made the application last February and has since lodged an appeal to VCAT on the grounds council took too long to make a decision.
The officer’s report recommended that council acknowledge it would have granted the planning permit if the applicant did not escalate to a VCAT appeal.
Addressing the council meeting on behalf of the applicant, Daniel DeFazio said the significance of the VCAT appeal has dropped due to positive engagement between the two parties since it was lodged.
“As part of that wobbly line, for the lack of a better term, there is a VCAT process underway,” Mr DeFazio said.
“Now that VCAT process really does sit in the background of where we are now… it has been quite low level.
Mayor Josh Gilligan said if it were not for the state government’s Townhouse and Low-Rise Code permitting developments of that size, it would have been rejected by officers.
He asked Mr DiFazio to address that proposition.
“Some aspects of the proposal may have felt too intense, but we must remember this is the Tarneit North Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) – this is a residential growth zone designation,” Mr DiFazio said.
“This is one of the higher-order residential zones, with a 13.5 metre height limit and nothing here goes beyond 7.5 metres.
“So while there is some intensity to it, it does fit the PSP, it does fit the zoning [requirements].”
He also said the proposed development’s landscaping blueprint was above well exceeded the bare minimum requirements.
The motion was passed eight votes to three, with Crs Gilligan, Mia Shaw and Maria King voting against.
