By Charlene Gatt
A REFUSAL to grant a parking permit waiver for a mixed four-storey development at Maribyrnong’s Edgewater Estate was met with applause from the gallery last week.
Maribyrnong City councillors voted 6-1 against the waiver, despite an original officer recommendation to grant the request subject to conditions.
Councillor Michael Clarke, who moved the amendment, said the proposed car parking waiver went against the orderly and proper planning for the Cumberland Drive site and would be an inconvenience to residents.
“What worries me is that we will have an absolutely terrific development in terms of the restaurant for this particular establishment, but the impact on the local community is one step too far away,” Cr Clarke said. “This is a residential precinct and we need to always be cognisant of the needs of the local community.”
Applicant Tract Consultants wanted the car parking requirements waived for all businesses on the site’s ground floor, which included a 200-seat restaurant, juice bar, business centre and wellness centre.
According to Maribyrnong Planning Scheme regulations, a 282-space car park was needed to accommodate the four-storey development.
The applicants proposed an 85-space car park.
The council received 26 objections to the original application.
In a revised proposal to fit its 85-space vision, the applicant scrapped the wellness centre from the project and minimised the size of the restaurant and juice bar. It also included an extra five dwellings.
According to council regulations, it would then need 211 spaces. The matter was brought up earlier in the night at public question time, when residents expressed concern about increased traffic flows and the lack of residential on-street parking the waiver would cause.
According a Maribyrnong City Council report, objectors said Cumberland Drive was being used as a ‘rat run’ between Gordon St to Farnsworth Avenue.
Fellow councillors supported Cr Clarke’s amendment, but were worried the matter would go straight to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) and be passed.
Councillor Janet Rice, who voted against the amendment, said she had no doubt that VCAT would approve the waiver and said residents would get a worse outcome.
Councillor Catherine Cumming said she feared VCAT had turned into a rubber stamp, but the council needed to fight against the rising trend.
Tract Consultants senior town planner Luke Chamberlain said it was likely the matter would be taken to VCAT, but a decision hadn’t been made.
