Council’s Planning Committee has refused
a Planning Permit application to construct a three-storey apartment building in
Highton.
The proposed Barrabool Road development
was set to have 21 dwellings, made up mostly of one- and two-bedroom homes and
one, three-bedroom apartment, on top of a basement carpark.
The building was proposed to reach a
height of 10.47 metres excluding building services.
The two lots are within an established
neighbourhood that has been earmarked as an increased housing diversity area,
opposite Highton Reserve and close to Highton Village Neighbourhood Centre,
public transport and a primary school.
The application received 31 objections
and one letter of support. The applicant provided a written response to those
opposed to the development; however, no objections were withdrawn.
Matters raised during public notice
include neighbourhood character, building height and design, overlooking to
adjoining rooms and private open spaces, and car parking impacts.
Planning Committee chair Councillor
Andrew Katos
The application was assessed against the Planning Policy
Framework, Municipal Planning Strategy, Planning Scheme and public feedback.
We found that the planning application
is inconsistent with neighbourhood character and wouldn’t make a positive
architectural and urban design contribution to the area.
The proposal failed to meet daylight to
new windows, neighbourhood character, residential, energy efficiency and other
objectives.
We thank the community for having its
say on this application.