Landowners in an Altona estate that has lain dormant for 85 years may be a small step closer to being able to develop their land.
Hobsons Bay council last week voted to allocate $30,000 for a facilitator to try to reach agreement between multiple landowners in the Burns Road industrial estate. The estate, which was subdivided in 1929, has more than 500 lots with an average size of 640 square metres.
Originally zoned residential, the estate is now zoned special use 4, which provides for various land uses that “do not prejudice the operations and expansion of the petroleum industry”.
As reported by Star Weekly, landowners are angered at collectively paying more than $130,000 in rates annually despite having “dead land” with no utilities. They say obstacle after obstacle has stopped them from making good on their investment.
The council’s planning scheme states that lots under two hectares cannot be developed.
Residential density controls were also introduced in 1993 to protect the petrochemical industry and minimise the number of casualties in the event of a major accident.
The estate’s unmade roads don’t meet the 20-metre standard for industrial roads, and, to top it off, the estate contains areas of grassland and spiny rice flower protected by law.
One land owner with a frontage to Harcourt Road has consolidated his lots, meaning he may be able to develop his portion of the site.
Michael Sergi said it had been a decade-long battle. “We’re looking forward to helping all the other residents bring their loads forward by working closely with council,” he said.
“There needs to be a structure plan for the whole site to go forward now.’’
Acting council chief executive Natalie Walker said an assessment found many of the constraints were beyond the council’s control.
“The assessment concluded the single biggest impediment to restructuring the estate was landowner agreement,” she said.
A report is expected to be completed by October next year.
