More than 100 submissions, many concerned about overdevelopment and traffic, have been made in response to plans for a new suburb in Altona North.
The former Don Smallgoods site, known as Precinct 15, is to be developed into 3000 dwellings up to six storeys high, housing about 7000 people.
The 67-hectare site, fronting Blackshaws Road and bounded by Kyle Road, New Street and the West Gate Freeway, is about half the size of Melbourne’s CBD.
Hobsons Bay council received an application from a private landholders’ consortium that owns 82 per cent of the site to rezone the former industrial site. That application was facilitated by the Victorian Planning Authority, the government body that oversees planning.
The council last week requested Planning Minister Richard Wynne appoint an independent planning panel to consider the 103 submissions received.
The most common issues included overdevelopment and associated traffic, loss of neighbourhood character, lack of services and infrastructure, and shortage of open space.
At last week’s council meeting councillor Tony Briffa described the plans as “scary”.
“I am scared of the development and the volume, size, scale, bulk, traffic all associated with this, potentially,” Cr Briffa said.
“Certainly, if you consider that in concert with the ‘Maribyrnong Bypass’ – sorry, the West Gate Tunnel – and the impact of that project on specifically this area, it is dire.”
Panel hearings are expected to start November 20 and run for two to three weeks.
All 103 submitters will have the opportunity to speak to the panel.
