A Labor MP has described as “insulting” a developer’s claims that the state government will not be able to fulfil a pre-election promise to cap high-rise development on the former Port Phillip Woollen Mill site.
As exclusively reported by Star Weekly, Williamstown MP Wade Noonan vowed the government would approve any planning scheme amendment put forward by Hobsons Bay council to limit building heights to 25 metres on 60 per cent of the mill site at Williamstown.
But part-owner Ashley Williams, Evolve Development managing director, questioned whether the council could wind back planning policy and said it was “unfortunate that a local member would get so committed to a position that isn’t necessarily based on a detailed understanding of the planning history”.
Mr Williams said he had spent three years and nearly $2million successfully appealing all of the council’s planning refusals in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Planning Tribunal (VCAT).
Councillors at Tuesday night’s meeting unanimously voted to request the Planning Minister approve a planning scheme amendment to introduce mandatory height controls, car parking requirements and developer contributions for the mill site.
Mr Noonan said Labor’s position in supporting the council was “rock solid”.
“Mr Williams’ comments in relation to my understanding about this development are both insulting and unhelpful,” he said.
“Over the last four years, while Labor were in opposition, Evolve failed to make any contact with me until a week out from the state election last year when they wrote to me and requested a meeting. What does that tell you? The fact that Evolve are negotiating with council suggests the change of government from Liberal to Labor has already made a difference.”
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