Junction’s consistency call

By TANIA MARTIN
YARRA Junction residents are calling for consistency for future housing developments after the Shire of Yarra Ranges approved one residential estate but denied another.
The council refused a 27lot subdivision for 34 Hoddle Street at last Tuesday’s council meeting, saying the proposed units weren’t large enough and did not meeting the shire’s planning policy.
However, the council approved a similar housing development for a 36lot subdivision at 3638 Hoddle Street in June.
Nearby resident Judith McDonald said Yarra Junction residents would like to see the council applying its planning scheme consistently to all proposed housing developments.
The approval of 3638 Hoddle Street followed an appeal lodged by the developers, Arizona Properties, with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in May.
Arizona Properties appealed on the grounds that the council had taken too long to make a decision on its application.
Although the council approved the application in June, the appeal had already been lodged with VCAT, which means the hearing will proceed on Monday, 22 August.
Both housing developments have been opposed by nearby residents, who have labelled them a direct contradiction to the council’s Urban Design Framework (UDF) policy for Yarra Junction.
The UDF recommends lot sizes be no smaller than 1000 square metres.
Objector Mrs McDonald said residents weren’t objecting to the future development of the township, but that future housing estates needed to meet the UDF sizing requirements.
Mrs McDonald said while the council had approved the application at 3638 Hoddle Street, the VCAT hearing would give objectors an opportunity to have the council’s decision overturned.
Mrs McDonald said the objectors still planned on having their views heard.
“Hopefully they (VCAT) will listen. It’s our last chance,” she said.
Mrs McDonald said council’s decision last week to refuse the development at 34 Hoddle Street was the only conclusion the council could make if it was to uphold the UDF.
Comparing the two developments, shire manager of communications James Martin said the application approved in June had significantly larger lot sizes.
He said the proposal outlined an average lot size of 988 square metres, which was 12 square metres below the UDF requirements.
Mr Martin said the development at 34 Hoddle Street had an average lot size of 578 square metres, which was significantly lower than the council’s policy requirements.
Applicant for the 34 Hoddle Street development M and M Family Investments said it was looking at its options following the council’s decision and determining how it was going to proceed.
Mr Martin said the developer could resubmit plans that met the UDF for Yarra Junction.