Residents have vowed to fight alongside Maribyrnong council against a 44-apartment development near Yarraville Village.
VCAT has set a four-day hearing for June to consider developer Mahercorp’s proposal for the corner of Anderson and Fehon streets, which was knocked back by the council.
The three-storey building would contain 21 one-bed and 23 two-beds units, with 44 parking spaces. The developer has sought a waiver of nine visitor spaces, arguing there is sufficient public transport and on-street parking in the area to cater for demand.
Residents claim parking is already an issue in the area and are calling on Maribyrnong council to carry out a “robust” traffic and parking study to guide future development in the area.
A resident, who attended a VCAT mention on Friday and asked not to be named, said the plans had attracted about 80 formal objections.
“Everyone is aligned with the council in terms of refusing the development and any removal of or encroaching on … heritage trees.”
He said putting 44 apartments on three residential blocks would have an unacceptable impact on parking and traffic, and there remained a long list of areas where the proposal failed to meet design standards.
A town planning submission by Rothe Lowman Architects on behalf of Mahercorp argues the 2440-square-metre site “provides an ideal setting for an elegantly proportioned residential development” in keeping with the zoning and local character.
“The prominence of the corner site provides the opportunity to create a refined architectural response as the western gateway to Yarraville’s greater retail and commercial precinct.
“The proposed development will assist in creating a strong benchmark for future developments in the area.”
An arborist’s report for the developer noted all trees on the site would be removed, including a healthy 16-metre English oak tree estimated to be 50 years old. VCAT’s decision is expected to be made by early July.
