By Casey Neill
Councillor Sean O’Reilly was too busy with his re-election campaign to look at a Springvale planning application.
He successfully moved to defer the proposal for seven double-storey dwellings at 63 Royal Avenue at the Monday 10 October Greater Dandenong Council meeting.
The item will now return to council after the Saturday 22 October local government elections.
Lightwood Ward representative Cr O’Reilly said he was too busy “due to other pressures“ and wanted more time to examine the application.
Cr Youhorn Chea seconded the motion and indicated he’d also been short on time.
The motion passed unanimously but Cr Peter Brown said he only reserved his opposition because he respected spending more time on the application.
“I do not endorse the reason O’Reilly gave for deferral,” he said.
He said they’d both had one and a half weeks to read the council report on the item.
“I had plenty of time to read it,” he said.
“I don’t accept running a political campaign as a reason.”
The application received five objections, relating to increased noise, additional traffic, inadequate car parking, a small front setback, overcrowding and amenity.
The council report on the application found it was consistent with the Greater Dandenong Planning Scheme and a permit should be granted.
An existing single-storey house and garage would be demolished.
All seven new dwellings would be double storey.
Two would have three bedrooms and a double-garage, and the others would each have two bedrooms and single garages.
The surrounding homes include older single and double-storeys, and single and double-storey multi-dwelling developments.
