16 July 2021
STOP PRESS! VCAT NEWS!
WE WON!! CECIL ST, ELTHAM !!
Congratulations residents, ECAG and Nillumbik Council for a fantastic win at VCAT!
Five months after the VCAT Hearing for the 3 storey 6 apartment proposal for Cecil St, Eltham, we learned this week that VCAT had refused a permit.
Important comments in the VCAT member’s determination include:
..….Assisted by my inspection of the site and surrounds I have found that the proposal fails primarily because it would have an excessively bulky and dominant appearance and would not be consistent with the built form and preferred character outcomes sought for this site in this part of the activity centre.
…. Landscaping is capable of being established in the spaces around the proposed building, however, I find that the landscape response is not proportional to the intensity of development and built form sought for this strategic context. More particularly, I am not persuaded that the spaces provided along the driveway will allow the establishment of suitably scaled canopy trees in a way that is integrated with the total development and which provides for the softening of built form.
This determination will be invaluable for further VCAT cases, such as…14-16 Taylor St, Eltham, for which we received notification this week of the next VCAT appeal.
Not content with losing at VCAT re their 8 unit proposal, the developers came back with 12 units. Council refused it so now the developers are trying their luck again at VCAT. Compulsory Conference January 2022 and Full Hearing April 2022.
Residents, Council and ECAG won at VCAT the first time around. Good luck everyone for Round Two!
Published July 2021