Elsie Lange
A proposal for a 12-dwelling development in Lancefield is causing concern among residents who fear it could damage the “character” of the town.
The proposed development sits on Main Road in Lancefield, near Lancefield Lodge, and neighbour Elaine Montalto believes “once high density developments are allowed to take off in small country towns, they won’t stop”.
“Developments like this don’t just affect the surrounding properties, it affects the character of the entire town,” Ms Montalto said.
Ms Montalto said she’d spoken with other neighbours who shared her concerns about the proposal, in which there are “provisions for 26 cars”, 12 three-bedroom dwellings and a new proposed driveway.
“This does not take into consideration there is likely to be more than two visitors for 12 dwellings,” Ms Montalto said.
The application is currently being advertised on the property at Main Road, with submissions closing on July 22. Macedon Ranges council will then review the objections and submissions.
Alexandrou & Associates Pty Ltd is listed as the applicant for the planning permit currently on display at the property. The applicant, Michael Alexandrou, declined to comment.
Another neighbour, Sharny Smith, said her initial thoughts were, “this is not what we moved to Lancefield for”.
“We moved from Westmeadows to Lancefield because we wanted space, because we wanted a decent backyard because we wanted not to be cramped in right next to people,” Ms Smith said.
“[In] this proposed build… their building will be two metres from our fence, and ours [is] three metres from our fence. So potentially, [it’s] going to look right into my children’s bedrooms.
“Which is concerning, and is not what we signed up for when we came to Lancefield.”
Long-time resident Ms Montalto remembered a “similar” application about 10 years ago for the development of 10 dwellings on the same strip, which she said was rejected by council and later rejected by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Ms Montalto acknowledged the low housing stock in the Macedon Ranges and that there was a need to “accommodate this shortage”, but called for “sensible” development.
“Putting 12 dwellings on a block this size has not looked at the impact on the area and its surroundings once the development has been completed whereby the damage is done,” she said.
