A CONTROVERSIAL six-townhouse development in Hoppers Crossing, described by Wyndham council as “one of the worst proposals” ever submitted, has been approved by the state’s planning tribunal.
Councillors last year unanimously rejected an application for six town- houses on a parcel of land in Wynarka Drive. Thirty-eight objections were lodged with the council.
But in handing down her ruling at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on June 28, member Rebecca Leshinsky criticised the council’s assessment as “flawed”.
“The council’s assessment that this site is not suitable for medium-density housing because of its isolation from services and facilities is flawed. The site is not isolated. It is located within an established residential area.
“The council’s submission on the planning policy issues represents a very limited interpretation of the outcomes encouraged by its own planning scheme.” Dr Leshinsky said the council had not prepared a neighbourhood character study or defined a preferred character of Wynarka Drive.
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Wynarka Drive resident Jack Briscoe said the development would be an “absolute nightmare”. “The only reason [the government] say they’d have multi-storey blocks is if they’re near railway lines and shopping centres; this is near neither,” he said. Miriam Galea, who lives two houses from the proposed site, objected to the permit because there were “too many houses”; it was “too cramped” and it “didn’t fit with the neighbourhood”.
Council CEO Kerry Thompson said VCAT “did not give significant weight” to a neighbourhood character study adopted in 2010 because it had not been formally included in the planning scheme. “Wyndham City will continue to make planning decisions based on the merits of each application, and in consultation with the community.”
