A developer has appealed to the state’s tribunal to let it build a seven-storey apartment block in Pier Street after Hobsons Bay council said the project would ruin Altona’s village feel.
Footscray-based Fremont Homes has lodged an appeal at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to build what would be Pier Street’s tallest building, on the old two-storey Boccelli restaurant site at 118 Pier Street.
The highest building in Pier Street is a five-storey residential complex across from the proposed apartments.
Fremont Homes plans to build a 28-dwelling apartment block with about 35 parking spaces and 90 square metres of ground-floor retail space.
As reported by Star Weekly in May, Hobsons Bay mayor Sandra Wilson advised the developer the proposal was “simply not appropriate” for the cafe and beach precinct.
Developer Fred Verduci said he was meeting the council tomorrow and would consider removing one level from the building’s plans.
“I think unit development like this has potential,” he said.
“That area there … the council has designated for apartments, and you’ve got to try to optimise the site.
“What we’re building now, we’re building for the future.
“There’s a lot of shortage and there’ll continue to be a shortage … if people are always negative about this, you’ll never get on top of it.
“The only reason we’re going seven storeys is to facilitate ample car parking.
“Because we’re not putting in a basement, we’ve gone two levels of car parking and one of those levels is actually a mezzanine level – it’s not a full level.
“We’ve tried to make sure that there’s adequate car parking so that it doesn’t put additional load on what limited load there is in the area.”
Mr Verduci said he was seeking a reduction in car parking requirements for the project and a waiver of the loading-bay requirements.
The council this month refused an application by Planning & Property Partners (PPP), acting for Omni Property Group, for an eight-storey, 56-dwelling development proposed for 637 Melbourne Road, Spotswood.
Another application, for a six-storey, 33-dwelling development for Aitken Street, Williamstown, has been rejected by the council.
