Residents are fighting plans for a 600-dwelling, 10-storey development on the former Caltex site in South Kingsville.
Tract Consultants has appealed to the Victorian and Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to approve its master plan for land at 38-48 Blackshaws Road and 24 Sutton Street.
A Facebook page called No to High Density in Newport states the new development would bring a minimum of 2000 more people and more than 1200 new vehicles on to Williamstown Road, The Avenue and Millers Road, “which are already congested”.
The site’s administrator, Chris Turner, said: “Council was willing to approve 450 dwellings, but this greedy developer is applying to VCAT for 600 dwellings on this 4.5-hectare site.
“We do not object to this site being developed – in fact, we are glad it will be used for residential instead of industry – but we are against this high density, high-rise over-development in our area,” he said.
“We want an appropriate treatment that will protect our amenity. They’re not building more schools or hospitals to take this influx of people.”
Hobsons Bay chief executive Chris Eddy said the plans went before VCAT because the council had not received enough information to make a decision within the prescribed period.
“We encourage all interested members of the public and those who live nearby to really familiarise themselves with the proposed master and concept plans for the site,” he said.
“The plans are publicly available and comments and responses can be made to VCAT until Wednesday, February 11.”
Tract Consultants was contacted for comment and said that it would have to defer to its client. No response was received by deadline.
The plans can be viewed at the council’s civic centre, on its website and at its libraries. A drop-in information session will be held at the South Kingsville Community Centre, 43 Paxton Street, on January 22, 4.30-7.30pm. Council officers will attend to answer questions.
