By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
RESIDENTS have been told they have no formal rights to oppose a three-storey apartment block proposal that will tower over one of Dandenong’s oldest, most sought-after residential streets.
Greater Dandenong Council told residents in a letter that they would have no third-party rights should the 30 MacPherson Street project go to appeal at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
This means residents, who overwhelmingly oppose the 12-unit project, would have no course of action at the tribunal – either if the council accepts the proposal or if the developer appeals against a council rejection.
Peter Hartin, a neighbour to the site, said such development was “killing the old Dandenong”.
“They’re turning it into a ghetto. The rights and freedoms that we’ve fought for are being taken away from us. This is one street too far.”
Lawrie McCoy estimates he is one of about 50 “disgusted” neighbours. He fears the onset of more unopposable big development. On the Greater Dandenong online planning register, there are five applications for double-storey apartments in MacPherson Street.
Mr McCoy’s family have lived in Dandenong for more than 100 years but this project could drive them out.
“We don’t want to stop development but we have three heritage-listed houses in the street. A lot of older residents are devastated that this is happening.”
A group of concerned residents told the Weekly there would be parking and traffic congestion in the narrow street, which is also a thoroughfare for buses.
Mr McCoy took offence to the developer’s “come and take me on” submission, penned by Melbourne Planning.
The submission stated the site was in a “substantial change” residential 2 zone, meaning there was no need to advertise and third-party objection rights were “eliminated”.
It stated a single-storey neighbouring home’s open space “may be slightly overshadowed at 3pm at equinox, however the extent is minimal”.
Patsy Horne, who lives in the home in question, expects to be “blacked out” in the afternoon. Mr McCall compares it to a four-storey apartment block that overshadows single-storey houses in King Street and a five-storey proposal in Pultney Street.
Greater Dandenong councillor John Kelly said the council’s hands were tied in trying to stop an “oversupply of units and apartments” in Dandenong.
“MacPherson Street used to be the street people wanted to live in. You can handle a few one or two-storey units on a block but this shouldn’t meet the criteria of the neighbourhood.”
