St Albans development revisions fail to satisfy objectors

DEVELOPERS have modified plans for a proposed subdivision at a St Albans site with links to legendary racehorse Phar Lap, but residents say the changes fail to address their key concerns with the project.

Neighbours are fighting a plan to split 7-8 Oakwood Ridge into two lots due to fears the project threatens the area’s low-density living lifestyle and nationally important racing heritage.

For the project to proceed, the City of Greater Geelong must overrule a covenant applied to the site when it was first subdivided into housing lots during the 1990s that protected low housing density in the area.

The city sent a letter to objectors earlier this month informing them of amended plans and inviting them to amend or withdraw their submissions.

The subdivision would carve out a 1013-square-metre lot for housing development from a 3500sqm property. Earlier planning documents indicate the land would eventually be sliced into “approximately four lots for sale”.

City of Greater Geelong city services director Guy Wilson-Browne owns the Oakwood Ridge property and stands to benefit from its windfall if the subdivision goes ahead.

Changes from plans submitted earlier this year include shifting a proposed sewer to the eastern boundary of the larger southern lot – away from the western boundary where it would have been directly under the significant tree.

Locals believe the tree, which has stood at the site since the estate was the St Albans Park Stud, is the burial place of significant Australian racehorses such as Phar Lap’s stablemate Freeman and relatives of 1890 Melbourne Cup winner Carbine.

An arborist’s report commissioned as part of the updated application indicated the tree is of high value and should receive protection, but failed to address its racing heritage links.

Planning reports indicate the tree would not be affected by the subdivision or future works.

But objectors fear the new sewer location could still impact horse burial sites, which local historians believe could stretch up to 30 metres from the tree canopy.

Geelong planners St Quentin dismissed claims their proposal impacted the area’s heritage: “This modest two-lot subdivision is not having any impact on the history of the area in comparison to the estate,” the report stated.

The residents’ other key concern is that bypassing the covenant could lead to more landowners carving up their large lots for higher-density developments, breaking the promise of quiet, semi-rural living that appealed to many residents in recent decades.

Original plans hinted at potential for subdivision of more of the suburb’s large allotments to realise “significant potential for residential growth”.

But St Quentin dismissed concerns about declining property value as “speculative”, and about destruction of neighbourhood character as “an exaggeration”.

A petition to block the subdivision and save the “Phar Lap tree” has more than 1,100 signatures.

Neighbours have reached out to federal and state heritage agencies about applying protections to the area.