Altona residents are up in arms over an application to build what would be the suburb’s tallest residential building.
Developer Redleigh Investments is proposing a six-storey apartment block and retail centre on the corner of Sargood and Blyth streets, with a shortfall of 12 parking spaces.
The site currently has two single-storey houses on it.
Redleigh has submitted plans to Hobsons Bay council for a 35-dwelling residential development, with two shops, an office and 63 on-site parking spaces – 12 fewer than required under the council planning scheme.
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A traffic impact assessment, prepared for the applicant by O’Brien Traffic, concluded “there is typically abundant on-street and off-street parking within close proximity to the subject site”.
Objector Aaron Hunt said residents felt the large-scale development did not fit the neighbourhood character and would exacerbate existing parking issues.
AERIAL SHOT WITH ARTIST’S IMPRESSION OF THE BLOCK’S FOOTPRINT (SUPPLIED)
“From the people I’ve spoken to, it’s pretty clear the community expects the council to be active in preserving the future look, feel and amenity of our suburb, not leave it to the whims of developers,” he said.
“The planning scheme relating to the Altona activity centre provides no mandatory height limit on new construction.
“Without a mandatory height limit, council is at risk of sponsoring an ‘anything goes’ approach to planning.
“Council identified the need for an increase in parking to accommodate new activity within the Altona centre yet they keep issuing exemptions to developers from providing new carparking to meet the needs of these new developments.
“The clear result is ever-increasing parking congestion during peak times.”
The architect acting for the developer, Vincent Interlandi, said he was in far north Queensland and could not comment without the drawings and reports to refer to.
The tallest residential building in Altona is five storeys.
