The developer behind the plan to build the largest residential development in Spotswood’s history has vowed he will appeal against Hobsons Bay council’s refusal to grant a permit for the nine-storey neighbourhood activity centre.
Sam Suleman is planning to build the centre at 31-69 McLister Street. It would include 346 dwellings over five to nine storeys, a supermarket, a bottle shop, medical centre and other shops and 753 parking spaces.
A special planning committee of Hobsons Bay council, comprising councillors Tony Briffa, Michael Grech and Jonathon Marsden, last week unanimously rejected the plan.
The council panel said the plan was an overdevelopment of the site, was contrary to local and state planning policies, and would generate adverse traffic and parking impacts in the local area.
“The proposed development is not appropriate for the land and is contrary to orderly and proper planning,” the council stated in its grounds for refusal.
Objector Danny Crawford said the developer had submitted three applications for the site, each time increasing the number of dwellings.
“The first one was 87, the second submission was something like 240 and the third one that was rejected [last week] was 346,” he said.
“It’s a complete overdevelopment on the basis of commercial gain with little consideration of local residents.
“There was massive concern about the three entrances on McLister Street, opposite a primary school. [It] was just absolutely astounding that they actually went for a design such as that – no kind of regard for public safety in such a small street.”
Mr Suleman told Star Weekly he would lodge an appeal with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
“I’m definitely going to VCAT,” he said. “The bottom line is, there is demand for that product over there and that’s why it was done that way.
“It certainly meets all guidelines. It got approval from council independent consultants … this certainly complies with all the regulations stipulated by the planning scheme.
“We have been discussing for the last two years, to come up with a plan that suits and complies with all the regs … to have that overturned.
“We have full support of council officers and we intend to go to VCAT and get it overturned – and I’m very confident we’ll win.”
