After a lengthy debate, a planning application for a 25 lot subdivision in Yarra Junction was approved at the 9 September Yarra Ranges Council meeting.
The council was forced to bring the matter to the chamber as the planning permit on Hoddle Street received 17 objections, with concerns primarily relating to increased traffic, environmental impacts and the character of the subdivision.
Ecologist and environmental planner Russel Bondarenko-Edwards spoke at the meeting and was critical towards its environmental impacts.
“This proposal intends to add further to what is already lost by removing over two hectares of fine-made vegetation in the heart of Yarra Junction, forming not only environmental losses, but also negative impacts to local character,” Mr Bondarenko-Edwards said.
But, planning and building manager Amanda Kern said the property had already been identified by the State Government as being within the “urban growth boundary”.
“It is within the urban growth boundary, which is set by the state government around where we’re expecting to see urban development occur and where we’re not expecting urban development to occur.
“So this property is within that urban growth boundary and is zoned to be residential and is allowed to be developed for residential uses,” Ms Kern said.
The new subdivision proposed the removal of 228 trees (44 of which are deemed significant) and 1.8 hectares of native vegetation.
Cr Len Cox objected to the motion and said the destruction of the vegetation wouldn’t outweigh the benefits of the development.
“I can’t realistically say that it would be for the better to clear this amount of vegetation and allow houses to be built there at some stage in the future,” Cr Cox.
But advice from the CFA on the planning application’s Bushfire Management Plan stated some of the significant trees had to be removed, as their canopies overlapped with surrounding forest, which would pose a bushfire risk.
Though a large amount of vegetation would be destroyed, the development proposed to secure 43 per cent of the allotment as a conservation zone.
The area would be secured and protected under a Section 173 Agreement, providing long term protection and control mechanisms.
Cr Peter Mcilwain initially voted against having a tree removed at the last council meeting, but changed his mind because of the new conservation zone in the allotment.
“The fact that the team within the council has been able to negotiate locking away a significant part of the bushland component of these properties for ongoing conservation value, and the fact that it’s linked to a corridor for the wildlife gives me some optimism that we’re actually finding a good balance between the need for housing versus the need for ongoing conservation.”
The development would also have a 30 metre buffer between the construction area and the conservation area to ensure it wouldn’t be impacted.
Cr Jim Child said the planning application struck the balance between residential development and biodiversity conservation.
“I’d like to see where there’d be a development rolled out in an urban area that has the substantial balance of development combined with biodiversity protection. I could not think of one, especially in an urban growth boundary.”
Concerns about increased traffic along Hoddle Street were also prominent within the objections.
Mr Bondarenko-Edwards said the “already poorly formed road” of Hoddle Street wouldn’t be able to support an increase of approximately 50 more cars.
“The impact of approximately 50 more cars on Holders Street, which is what the proposed development will create, is just not in line with the already poorly formed maintained road.”
A traffic engineering assessment prepared by Traffix Group estimated an additional 240 daily vehicle trips along Hoddle Street.
But, the assessment stated the increased traffic “is not expected to have any significant impact on the surrounding road network”.
Hoddle Street resident Leigh Hardy spoke to the Star Mail in June when the planning application was first lodged with the council. He said the road was narrow near the development and it also had poor visibility.
But the traffic engineering assessment stated Hoddle Street would be widened to six metres to match the existing width north of the site.
Mr Bondarenko-Edwards criticised the character of the development and said it was an “urban design, not a country township development” that was “indicative of inner suburban developments”.
Council’s adopted Housing Strategy 2024 forecasts the total population growth within Yarra Ranges to reach approximately 180,197 people by 2041.
The planning application’s Bushfire Management Plan was also approved by the CFA.
The motion was passed with seven votes for and one against.
