Concerns are being raised about impacts on small businesses and residential areas of about 2500 new apartments slated for construction on land around Highpoint shopping centre.
Maribyrnong council is seeking to rezone parts of the Highpoint activity centre, converting land now zoned as industrial to commercial or mixed use.
A council document paving the way for the rezoning states the Highpoint plan envisions: a “walkable, people-friendly environment” with houses, shops, offices and cafés.
“The current zoning doesn’t allow this mix of uses. So, in order to implement the plan for a new community, the zone must change.”
Building heights of up to 10 storeys have been flagged across seven precincts, with six to 10 storeys planned along Hampstead and Williamsons roads, as well as Rosamond and West roads.
A report by Mark Sheppard, on behalf of the GPT Group and Highpoint Property Group, notes that pressure is mounting from developers wanting to redevelop properties.
The report called for a scrapping of the council’s suggested 10-storey limit, arguing that buildings up to 18 storeys “would be sufficiently distant from the public realm to avoid any material impact on it whatsoever”.
The report also calls for a reduction in the amount of proposed open space.
Robert Wiatrowski, of the Maribyrnong Residents Action Group, warned the rezoning would provide commercial and economic benefits to Highpoint developments at the expense of other retail precincts nearby.
“Simply put, Highpoint is a commercial cash cow for Maribyrnong council and the council is working with the management of Highpoint developments to increase the size, scope and financial power of the shopping centre,” he said.
Mr Wiatrowski said the people most disadvantaged were the ratepayers of Maribyrnong and smaller retail precincts in the municipality.
“The council is deliberately focusing its energy on benefiting Highpoint in terms of encouraging a bigger residential market around the shopping centre, deflecting shopper interest and appeal away from other retail precincts.”
An independent planning panel hearing on the proposal was held late March with the panel report due in July.
