Elsie Lange
Hume council has given the go-ahead to the development of three double storey dwellings in Sunbury’s Turner Court, despite internal opposition and six objections to the proposal.
The proposal, for two four bedroom dwellings and one three bedroom dwelling, allocates two parking spaces to each house.
Two objections were read at a Hume council meeting on Monday, July 25, citing issues with increased traffic, bin collection, dangers to pedestrians and neighbourhood character.
Councillor Karen Sherry said while some concerns were valid, residents had to accept that Sunbury was growing and the proposal was in line with Hume’s planning scheme.
“I’m sorry, but Sunbury is part of Melbourne, and Melbourne is changing,” she said.
“There’s an expectation that Melbourne will densify.”
Cr Trevor Dance, who was against granting the permit, highlighted a “refreshing” recent Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) ruling to overturn a council decision to allow a development at 11 Priorswood Way in Sunbury.
The Priorswood Way development was also for three double storey dwellings, and the VCAT appeal was lodged based on issues related to “neighbourhood character and off- site amenity impact considerations”.
“I agree with some of the resident’s comments with the neighbourhood [at Turner Court] … the neighbourhood there has no other two storey buildings whatsoever, in the area … it’s a nice quiet court,” Cr Dance said.
Cr Jack Medcraft said he supported the decision to grant a permit, before asking Hume’s planning director James McNulty about the difference between the Turner Court application and Priorswood Way.
“There was a point of difference in the decisions referenced in that the VCAT decision, there was actually a local policy relating to character affecting that site,” Mr McNulty said.
“In the site in question, in the decision before you tonight, there is no such local policy.”
Cr Medcraft said it was a “difficult time” for people who lived in areas, like the old part of Sunbury, that have become “popular and developable”.
“We don’t live in Sunbury 1995, we live in Sunbury 2022, and fellow councillors that live there know quite well that Sunbury is growing at a massive rate,” Cr Medcraft said.
“We cannot stop progress, we cannot stop immigration, we cannot stop people – under our social justice charter, we want to give everyone the opportunity to better their lives.
“This is the classic case of that.”
