Werribee residents are calling on their council to vote down plans for a 49-block subdivision at Riverbend Historical Park.
The council is considering a planning permit application to subdivide the land, which is bounded by Purchas Street and Heaths Road, into blocks of between 400 and 500 square metres.
Ninety-six residents have formally objected to the planning application and 246 residents have signed an online petition calling on the council to reject the current plans.
Riverbend resident Kirsty Dolny said the blocks proposed were markedly smaller than other blocks in the area that range from 800 to 4000 square metres.
“[I’m concerned] about land prices, property values in the area,” she said.
“We paid a premium for the land and now we’re thinking we could potentially have 49 families in terrace housing or very small housing on our doorstep.
“It really changes the whole dynamic of the area.”
Ms Dolny said residents were also unimpressed with the consultation process surrounding the development, adding that residents were initially notified about plans during the Easter school holidays when many were away.
She said residents were then only given a couple of days’ notice of a resident forum held earlier this month.
Riverbend resident Denise Huxtable said the number and size of blocks proposed would be out of place with the existing estate and would increase traffic congestion.
“I think everybody accepts that there’s got to be some development, but there’s other things they could look at – like bigger blocks, houses that are more in keeping with the area,” she said.
The matter has been scheduled for a vote at the December council meeting.
Wyndham council chief executive Kelly Grigsby said “significant consultation” had been under way since March this year, with letters posted to nearby land owners and occupiers.
Ms Grigsby said two signs were erected by the applicant and the council hosted a town planning forum in early November for objectors to raise their concerns in front of councillors and council staff.
