Dual occupancy

By Kath Gannaway
COLDSTREAM residents opposed to dual occupancy development say they have been thrown a life-line with Yarra Ranges Council last week voting for a minimum 1000 square metres for a subdivision.
The council is seeking approval from the Minister for Planning to exhibit a planning scheme amendment to the housing strategy, which was adopted in May this year following two years of public consultation.
Under the amendment, Coldstream would come under the new Residential 3 Zone. Council came under fire from the Coldstream Action Group (CAG) in November when it approved five dual-occupancy subdivisions.
CAG chairman Guy Walker said the entire Coldstream housing estate would now come under what the council had called “least change’ areas.
Among a number of requirements under the Res3 Zone is the minimum 1000 square metres for subdivisions, and on lots of more than 1000sqm a requirement for the building footprint to not exceed 30 per cent of the site.
“Most blocks would be under the 1000 requirement, or very near to it, and so it is unlikely that there will be many opportunities for dual occupancy development on that basis,” Mr Walker said.
Michael Hales, a planning consultant with Miller and Merrigan who have represented clients in the shire for more than 40 years on subdivision matters, spoke against the amendment saying dual occupancy developments played an important social role in facilitating the better use of infrastructure and provided the potential for more affordable housing.
He said it was also in accordance with the existing state planning policies. “It is a logical means of providing for growth within the shire,” he argued.
In relation to Coldstream, Mr Hales said the minimum lot size would unduly impact on the development of the area.
Mr Walker said the group would not lobby the State Government to support the amendment.
“It has got through council, and, that was one of the big hurdles. We now have to start pushing the buttons of the State Government representatives to make sure it gets their approval as well,” he said. He said the group was also in the process of lodging VCAT challenges to the five dual occupancy permits issued just weeks ago.
“This (the amendment) was already in the pipeline and we believe those planning applications were part of a big push to get everything through council because they (the developers) knew this was coming,” Mr Walker said.
Subject to the minister’s approval, the amendment will be exhibited for community comment.