Proposed development at 570 Neerim Road, Hughesdale

Update - VCAT approval

A planning permit has been granted by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for a development at 570 Neerim Road, Hughesdale, for the construction of five 3-storey townhouses.

The developer appealed to VCAT because Council did not decide upon the application within the required 60-day timeframe.

This is the site of the Telstra Exchange building, near the corner of Neerim and Poath roads.

For more information, view VCAT's decision: 570 Neerim Road, Hughesdale(RTF, 297KB).

About the proposal

The applicant proposed a development including:

Construction of five townhouse dwellings, with each comprising of:
- 3 bedrooms plus study
- Open-plan kitchen, dining and living area at first-floor level, with access to outdoor balcony
- Cinema room and outdoor courtyard at lower-ground level (basement level)
Reduction of one visitor space to the car parking requirement.

The overall height of the building above natural ground level is 9m. The subject site is affected by the Environment Audit Overlay (EAO).

Vehicle access to and from the site is proposed via Federation Walk. Federation Walk is a narrow one-way access which provides vehicle access to a number of existing residential properties.

VCAT scheduled a Practice Day hearing on Friday 8 December 2017, a Compulsory Conference on Wednesday 14 February 2018, and a Merits Hearing for Tuesday 3 April 2018.

Key issues considered relate to the density of the development, neighbourhood character, car parking design, vehicle movability within the site, waste management, site contamination, title restriction, and the reliance on local streets and private domain for access.