Residents’ right to have a say in proposed high-rises in Springvale and Noble Park may be curtailed, as part of the new train-and-tram activity zones.
In these ‘core’ areas, a Built Form Overlay may be applied – meaning buildings that meet the height and design rules will be “deemed to comply”.
The “streamlined” process is designed to encourage faster approvals, more certainty and investment and reduced costs.
According to the state department’s website, Greater Dandenong Council would remain the responsible authority to “ensure the design is of a high standard and will not unnecessarily affect neighbouring properties”
However, third-party notification and review rights – such as appeals to VCAT – will be unlikely.
Keysborough resident Gaye Guest says already neighbours seem to have less say in what’s popping up in back yards, even if the new structures “dwarf the neighbourhood”.
She cites a second dwelling on former farmland in Keysborough that looks like a demountable ‘space module’.
According to Greater Dandenong Council, the building classified as a “small second dwelling” does not require a planning permit.
Under new State Government regulations, no planning permit is needed for small second dwellings on land larger than 300 square metres.
Meanwhile a garage under construction in Noble Park towers over nearby homes, with residents “aghast at its three-storey size and commercial appearance”, Ms Guest says.
Again, it doesn’t require a planning permit, being part of an existing home in the General Residential Zone 1 and on a lot greater than 300 square metres.
The proposal is instead assessed by a private building surveyor who may issue a building permit if it complies with building regulations.
“In these circumstances, Council does not have a formal role in the assessment unless a planning permit is required or a compliance matter arises,” the council says.
