By Benjamin Millar
The developer behind a multi-storey apartment proposal to house 1000 people on the former Transdev bus depot site in Seddon has turned to the state’s planning tribunal for approval.
ANPLUS Developments last month lodged an application for review at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal after Maribyrnong council failed to grant a permit within the prescribed time.
The 1.4-hectare site at 43-57 Buckley Street was sold in 2015 for a suburb record of $20.9 million.
Plans lodged with Maribyrnong council last year seek approval to build 407 apartments and 15 townhouses across three buildings up to 12 storeys high – double the site’s maximum preferred height.
The proposal includes retail tenancies and a 1700-square-metre open space on the south-western corner.
A social impact assessment prepared by ASR Research states the development “will create an important new public realm node and important new linkages in the north-east portion of Seddon”.
But the plan attracted about 80 objections to the council from nearby residents.
The main concerns relate to over-development, increased traffic, lack of carparking and overshadowing, as well as diminished privacy and an overall decline in local amenity.
Resident Charles Hardman said the council’s failure to make a decision in time has pushed the burden to argue against the proposal on to the community.
He said the 422 new dwellings would come on top of at least 664 new dwellings, approved in recent years for within 450 metres of the site.
Mr Hardman is calling on the council to make a decision before a practice day hearing listed for April 5, ahead of a compulsory conference on June 11 and a seven-day hearing from August 5.
Objectors must lodge their statement of grounds by Friday, March 22.
