"But as awful as it feels, I find myself with no option but to support this motion."

With those words, and the 5:3 vote that followed, the fate of the proposed infill development at 17 Park Street, Wendouree was finally sealed.

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It marked the third occasion in which the controversial proposal, involving the construction of five two-storey townhouses on a block situated some 200 metres from the western end of Howitt Street, had come before the committee since April.

HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW: Should council amend the city's planning scheme?

A motion to approve the proposed development was narrowly defeated at the first meeting, only to be deferred due to a failure by council to move another motion to formally reject the application.

The proposal was again deferred last month in an attempt by council to exert pressure on the developer to alter its proposal in line with some of the strong community objections raised - which, in the main, turned on the harm the development would visit on the liveability of the area and its neighbourhood character.

The developer had, however, by that point made it plain that no modifications to the proposal would be made, thereby rendering a further deferral of the application pointless.

So, it was with little surprise the application was returned to the committee this week with the developer unmoved by the concerns levelled against it.

Conceding the proposed development met the requirements of the city's planning scheme, a motion to approve it was carried.

"The reality is, as we sit here, we are here to interpret the [planning scheme] such as exists at the moment," Cr Mark Harris said.

"We don't have any options; this is our planning scheme [and] the applicant has come here with a proposal that fits within it."

It was a sentiment echoed by councillors Ben Taylor, Belinda Coates, Amy Johnson and Moloney.

"As a council, we actually have to choose [whether] we don't abide by the planning scheme we have in front of us or we do abide by the planning scheme in front of us," Cr Taylor said.

"And that's why it's important - as much as it is difficult for residents tonight - to understand that things have changed in their area within their streets, and the sad thing is it will continue to change within that area with that zone in place."

Cr Johnson, meanwhile, placed weight on the inevitability of the developer succeeding in VCAT should council reject the proposal.

"There is no doubt that if this does get rejected it will go to VCAT and get approved and further draw out the process," she said.

"The reason I say this is because I've seen so many VCAT applications like this where the proposal does meet the requirements of our planning scheme and time and time agian when council has said 'no' the decision is overturned and they become approved applications."

In passing the motion, however, the same councillors also called for an immediate review of the planning scheme, citing the need for a substantial conversation about zoning reform.

To this end, they expressly pointed to the lack of planning controls available to council in areas falling within the residential growth and general residential zones - which, incidentally, includes most suburbs in Ballarat - as well as the absence of any clear vision as to where, precisely, infill development should be concentrated.

"There isn't a great deal of support in council with a number of areas in our planning scheme," Cr Harris said.

"We need to have a good hard look at ourselves and do some work [amending the planning scheme] because we are sending difficult messages to residents."

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