‘Darebin Council has nerve to grandstand’: Stoush over Preston housing plan

Save articles for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.

A proposed large housing development in Preston with a 15-storey tower and supermarket is being opposed by Darebin Council in protest at the state government considering whether to seize planning control of the site.

But local MPs from the government and the opposition have slammed the Labor and Greens-dominated council for standing in the way of more social and affordable housing during.

Artist sketch of view from corner of St George’s Road and Showers Street looking south-east.Credit: Jackson Clements Burrows Architects

Housing supply is a contentious issue in Darebin, with the state government in April hindering a proposal by Preston Market’s owner for a 19-storey development with 2200 apartments.

The latest proposal is for a site near the Preston Tram Depot, bounded by St Georges Road, Oakover Road and Showers Street.

Developer Assemble Communities has proposed a mixed-use precinct of four buildings with 480 build-to-rent units, a supermarket, offices and shops and a large open space and communal garden.

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny is considering the request for a planning permit and rezoning of land.

“The council sees this as an attempt to circumvent council’s decision-making authority and proper planning controls.”

The proposal has been recommended by the state government for fast-tracked assessment under the development facilitation program, which skips normal council processes on projects that boost Victoria’s economic recovery and provide a substantial public benefit.

Twenty per cent of dwellings at the Preston site would be dedicated to social housing for 13 years, an additional 20 per cent would be affordable and 3 per cent would be disability accommodation.

Darebin Council said it did not support the development because ministerial intervention was not required, did not follow due process and insufficient notice was given to community members.

“The council sees this as an attempt to circumvent council’s decision-making authority and proper planning controls,” a spokesperson said.

Residents say they support housing on the site but are concerned about excessive height and bulk.Credit: Penny Stephens

Some nearby residents backed the need for more housing but said they were concerned about the height and bulk of the development, insufficient car parking, traffic congestion and overshadowing.

“If the minister determines to support the proposal, council has requested that conditions to ensure an appropriate level of community benefit is realised, including social housing to be provided for at least 30 years,” the Darebin council spokesperson said.

But Labor MP for Northcote Kat Theophanous and Evan Mulholland, the Liberal MP for the Northern Metropolitan Region, lashed the council.

“Darebin Council has nerve to grandstand,” Theophanous said. “Anyone who lives in the inner north knows their track record on major planning decisions has been woeful. With the Greens political party dominating so many of these decisions at a local level, their total hypocrisy on social housing is writ large on project after project they have obstructed.”

Theophanous said the government had referred the development and rezoning proposal to the priority projects standing advisory committee, which would consider concerns raised by the community and the time period for social housing.

Mulholland said Melbourne was in the middle of a housing crisis and without developments like this, housing supply would never come close to matching demand.

“Daniel Andrews is quick to rightly attack Greens councillors for holding up housing construction, but in this case, you have a Labor mayor and councillors doing the same thing,” he said.

“If there is an issue with height, this should be sorted quickly rather than endless nitpicking and delays. Either you support alleviating the pressures of the housing crisis, or you don’t.”

Showers Street resident Lisa Oakley said she was concerned the council’s planning processes had been bypassed and there was inadequate consultation with residents.

She said 15 storeys exceeded the maximum height limit of 12 storeys for the area and insufficient car parks had been proposed, which would add to traffic congestion.

“I don’t think anybody in our community is against more affordable and social housing, but the problem is when developers use their 20 per cent social housing provision to exceed maximum building heights and really ignore planning process.”

Resident Neerja Choahan said a 15-storey apartment building would overshadow the home she shared with her frail 77-year-old mother on Oakover Road, blocking the sunshine on their north-facing porch.

“Being a migrant, I understand the need for secure housing and welcoming people,” she said.

“We are asking for more parking so that we can safely co-exist with our new neighbours, a maximum of 12 storeys in height in keeping with the regulations and for setbacks so that we have our share of the sun in Melbourne’s freezing winter.”

Assemble Communities referred questions from The Age to Super Housing Partnerships, which owns the site.

Super Housing Partnerships chief executive Carolyn Viney said Melbourne was in the grip of a housing crisis and Preston was a key location where workers on average incomes could not access housing.

“This development will address some of the inequity in the housing system by delivering 20 per cent of homes as social homes and 20 per cent of homes at discounted rents, without government subsidies or funding,” Viney said.

“For so long as we resist responsible density in locations such as this, current and future generations will not be able to afford to live near us.”

In March, Whitehorse Council slammed the state government for seizing planning control of a seven-tower development in Box Hill, the tallest of which would be 50 storeys.

Professor Michael Buxton, from RMIT’s Centre of Urban Research, accused the state government of treating councils with contempt by taking control of planning decisions under the Development Facilitation Program and Suburban Rail Loop Authority.

“One rule for big projects and big developers and another for everyone else,” he said.

“The bigger projects demand greater scrutiny because they have much more severe impacts.”

Opposition planning spokesman David Hodgett said the key to local planning decisions was local residents and communities.

“Far too often the Andrews government intervenes to sideline local councils and residents in planning decisions.”

The priority projects standing advisory committee will hold a public hearing into the Preston development and rezoning of land from July 18-20.

A government spokesperson said all submitters would have the opportunity to have their say.

The committee will later this year make recommendations to Kilkenny, who will make a final decision.

Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here.

Most Viewed in National

From our partners

Source: Read Full Article