THE Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has concluded hearings on a controversial subdivision in Ballarat East, with a site inspection planned for coming days.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Considered by Ballarat City councillors this month, plans for the 20-unit Rodier Street development received 32 objections from local residents including complaints about local amenity impact, tree removal and inadequate on-site car parking.
The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority has also objected to the proposal, which is considered to have an unacceptable flood risk.
Developers TGM Group Pty lodged amended plans this year for the site, which attracted 10 objections citing driveway sizes, no on-site stormwater storage provision, inadequate open spaces and small garages.
On November 14 Ballarat City Council voted unanimously to not support the amended plans at the VCAT.
Following Friday’s hearing, a ruling on the subdivision is not expected until a VCAT senior member visits the site next week and a full flood assessment survey is prepared for the site.
Local resident Ron Marshall said the development proposals were incomplete and the site represented a “unique heritage location for Ballarat.”
“Clearly the developer is desperate to have (the application) go through and be done and the City of Ballarat is being asked to say they trust the developer with details which haven’t been explained,” he said.
“Considering the heritage nature of the area so close to the Eureka Rebellion site and in the heart of Ballarat East, that is alarming.”
Mr Marshall said local residents were “reasonably confident” of the outcome.
