By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
A PLANNING expert warns there will be “hell to pay” if the looming threat of multi-storey apartment blocks in Dandenong’s established residential streets isn’t curbed by planning zone changes.
Residents have called The Journal in recent weeks concerned that their predominantly single-storey neighbourhoods in Grace Avenue, MacPherson Street and in Dandenong West will turn into medium-rise ghettos.
These streets and a large swathe of neighbourhoods to Dandenong’s north and west are classified as a Residential Growth Zone – which allows for developments up to 13.5 metres, and for places of worship, shops, medical centres to be approved without a permit
Greater Dandenong councillors Jim Memeti and Matthew Kirwan last week called for the zone to be wound back to include only central Dandenong as part of the council’s review of its planning zones.
However, Professor Michael Buxton, of RMIT University’s global, urban and social sciences faculty, said it may not be easy for the council to halt the spread of towers in its suburbs.
He said Planning Minister Matthew Guy would have the final say on any rezoning.
“It remains to be seen how interventionist the Planning Minister will be. Clearly it should be up to the council to make their judgement free of interference from the government.”
The Residential Growth Zone was designed to encourage a range of commercial uses many without a need for a permit and notification of neighbours, he said. Taverns and hotels are not prohibited if granted a permit.
“It’s a fairly serious impact on a residential area because it’s going to attract a wide range of incompatible uses which will be noisy and create more traffic and loss of amenity,” Professor Buxton said.
“This is a crucial issue for councils. Once these zones are applied, the floodgates are going to be opened. They’ve got to get it right or they’ll be hell to pay.”
Cr Kirwan said multi-storey apartments were best suited to the “very centre” of Dandenong – around the railway station and above shopfronts to bring life and customers.
“In short, the new Residential Growth Zone needs to be made as small as possible,” Cr Kirwan said.
Cr Memeti said the zone changes would work better by developing central Dandenong first.
“Work in the middle and then spread out, not the other way around,” he said.
Last week The Journal reported on 103 Dandenong residents petitioning for a halt to multi-storey proposals in their streets. Many were angered by a three-storey, 27-unit apartment block on two lots in Grace Avenue.
