More than 100 Lalor traders and residents got their way on Tuesday night when Whittlesea councillors knocked back a proposed four-storey apartment building slated for David Street.
Despite the council’s planning department’s endorsement of the 28 unit complex planned for 2 David Street, councillors rejected the developer’s planning application on the grounds that is was an “overdevelopment” of the site and “inappropriate” development for Lalor.
A Lalor resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she was relieved the councillors had heeded the public’s concerns.
The resident gathered one of two petitions, which collectively contained the signatures of 106 people who objected to the development.
“We already have an issue with congestion. I spoke to a couple of traders and they have issues with parking and traffic,” she said.
Councillor Kris Pavlidis said the building would not fit into the David Street landscape.
“In my view, we are not ready for this sort of development,” Cr Pavlidis said. “I think we need to do this is a sensible and sensitive manner so we’re not encroaching on other residents.”
The proposed development was for 28 one and two bedroom apartments with 30 car parking spaces. Twenty-four of those spaces were to be provided by car stackers, with cars on bottom rungs to be lowered into a pit when top run cars are needed.
Many of the objectors were worried about increased traffic, car parking availability, overshadowing, a loss of privacy and the development’s inconsistency with surrounding houses, which are mostly single storey buildings.
In his report on the matter, Whittesea’s principal planner said: “the proposal demonstrates a satisfactory level of compliance with the provisions of the Whittlesea Planning Scheme and the Housing Diversity Strategy.
“It is considered that the proposal will not have a detrimental impact on the character of the neighbourhood nor on the existing surrounding residential properties and accordingly approval of the application is recommended.”
