Xavier College closed its Kostka Hall Campus in Brighton in 2020.Credit:Simon Schluter
A Victorian government spokesman confirmed the developer had requested that Kilkenny call in the VCAT application and fast-track a decision under the state government’s Development Facilitation Program.
He said the project was “shovel ready” and had a capital expenditure cost of $112 million and development cost of $95 million,adding it would create about 250 short-term jobs and 40 permanent positions.
The government spokesman confirmed the application would be withdrawn from VCAT and referred to the Priority Projects Standing Advisory Committee – under Planning Panels Victoria – for independent assessment.
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“The application will be considered on its merits,” he said.
The minister’s decision to call the matter in was made on Tuesday,he said,and the developer,council,VCAT and Planning Panels Victoria had been advised on the decision on Thursday.
Local architect Simon Greenwood – one of more than 100 residents opposed to the development and who would have been party to the VCAT proceeding alongside the council – said the group “acknowledged it was an appropriate site for a residential project” and was,in-principle,comfortable with the number of homes to be built.
He said the residents’ main issues were traffic – namely,the inability of a six-metre-wide laneway to cope with cars from the new development – and the “cookie cutter” designs and look of the townhouses.
“The proposed development consists of effectively 13 barrack type,flat-roofed,blocks with almost identical internal layouts and limited and often repeated articulation,” he said.
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Greenwood said residents were “amazed and intrigued” to hear of the minister’s intervention six weeks out from VCAT hearings.
“We are wondering why the minister has deemed it necessary to call up the application. We understand the current pressures for more affordable housing,however,this project does not relate to that issue,” he said.
Stitfold said the council had not formally been advised of the minister’s action and “was alerted to the matter by the applicant which is highly unusual”.
“Council has,and continues to be,willing to work with all parties to the application to achieve an outcome that is beneficial for both the applicant and local community,” she said.
“We are concerned regarding the lack of communication and transparency from the minister in dealing with this application. Council is also unsure of how the minister for planning’s intervention will proceed.”
Opposition planning spokesman James Newbury – who is also the local member – said the Coalition was considering referring the minister’s decision to “a state integrity body” over concerns of a lack of transparency.
Newbury – who has previously criticised the development as “massive” – said the decision “stinks like a rotten fish head”.
“Planning experts have warned that Labor’s centralisation of planning could undermine proper checks,balances and transparency. This decision is now Exhibit A,” he said.
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