By Vanessa Chircop
VCAT has upheld a council decision to reject a mixed application for the former Bristol Hotel in Williamstown.
The application, which proposed to retain the hotel and construct 40 dwellings on the land around the hotel, was refused by the council last August because it did not meet state planning policy, particularly in terms of buildings of heritage significance.
The applicant appealed the matter to VCAT but to no avail – with VCAT upholding the council’s decision.
At last week’s council meeting Councillor Angela Altair said the result was pleasing but admitted it was a rare result from the tribunal.
“It’s good that we’re finally having some wins in VCAT,” she said.
Hobsons Bay director Planning and Environment Peter Gaschk said the hotel has had a chequered history but he was also pleased with the result.
“I guess the pleasing aspect of this particular decision, is the tribunal found that the grounds on which the council refused the application … in relation to heritage controls … were in fact quite significant,” he said. “The council over 18 months ago – two years ago, reviewed its heritage controls with a view to strengthen them.
“In fact the tribunal member in her decision has in fact made reference to that – that the site has much stronger heritage statement over it and came to the conclusion that those matters needed to be considered.
“Certainly we were very pleased with the result.”
