Ocean Grove development changes direction after VCAT hearing

THE proponents of a development in Ocean Grove have had a win at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) but have scaled down their ambitions for the site.

The original application for “Park Avenue” on behalf of Inalaa for a planning permit lodged with the City of Greater Geelong council proposed a three-storey apartment building at 89-91 The Avenue.

The proposal submitted by Michael Higgins Building Design would have had 23 dwellings.

They would have been contained in a building up to 10.5 metres above ground level constructed over a basement car park.

The council received 23 objections to the application. Concerns listed by objectors included the number of apartments, building height and bulk, neighbourhood character, residential amenity, traffic and parking congestion, safety impacts, variations to design standards, overlooking and overshadowing.

The council rejected the application and Inalaa took the matter to VCAT, which ruled in June that the council’s refusal to grant a permit must be set aside and Park Avenue sent back to the council for reconsideration.

Inalaa’s amended $10 million plan for the site now proposes a townhouse-style development with nine dwellings, which will be both single- and double-storey but built to a maximum of nine metres above ground level.

The single built form has been separated into two buildings separated by a shared accessway.

The basement car park has been removed, and each dwelling will have its own parking.

A statement describing the changes to the application as part of the new planning application notes the amended plans for Park Avenue remain consistent with the preferred pattern of development for a “Coastal Increased Housing Diversity Area” such as that part of Ocean Grove, and gives five reasons:

• Provision of quality, site responsive medium density housing development incorporating reduced scale, greater articulation, and use of materials and textures to create visual interest
• Development of up to two storeys which is encouraged on larger sites abutting an activity centre such as the Ocean Grove Town Centre
• Achieving a landscaping design outcome, which is integrated throughout both private open spaces and common areas throughout the whole development
• Providing an appropriate level of amenity for future occupants, and
• Not unreasonably reducing opportunities for neighbouring sites to develop.

To read all the application’s documents, head to geelongaustralia.com.au/planning.