Elsie Lange
A controversial plan for a five-storey apartment building in Sunbury town centre has been given the green light by Hume council, despite resident concerns about neighbourhood character, car parking and construction impacts.
The proposal at 52 O’Shanassy Street for apartments, a basement car park, a cafe or retail premises and offices was originally put to council as a six storey development at 23 metres, but has since been downgraded to a 19 metre-high form.
When the plan was exhibited in December 2021, 49 objections were received.
An officer report to council, which recommended a permit be granted, said the current and future growth of the town would mean the existing town centre “will be required to change and evolve” to meet community needs.
“Historically the town centre has maintained a low scale building form however it is anticipated as the town continues to grow that the scale of future development will need to adapt to a taller form and scale,” the report said.
Sunbury resident and practising town planner Robert Szymanski spoke against the proposal at a council meeting on Monday, December 12, and said even the reduced height of the building “simply doesn’t go far enough”.
“A more appropriate approach [in Sunbury’s] transition and change would be going to a two-storey element, with a recess third level – so you’re actually seeing from the front a two-storey built form consistent with the surrounding area,” he said.
He said he was concerned about the officer report’s description of existing planning policy and guidelines strategy as “outdated”.
“That policy is not outdated… if officers or council are of the view that it’s no longer relevant, they should go through the formal process and actually amend the Hume planning scheme to that effect,” Mr Szymanski said.
Owner of Sunbury City Electrical & Electronics on O’Shanassy Street near the proposed development site, John Callaghan, also objected at the meeting, saying it would “destroy” the village streetscape, while another resident Peter Gavin said it would reignite the ‘Sunbury out of Hume’ debate.
“In the recent past, residents of Sunbury had the logo ‘city living, country style’, which accurately describes a way of life they found desirable… should this decision proceed it would create a dangerous precedent,” he said.
Jacksons Creek ward councillor Trevor Dance said he would not be voting for the officer’s recommendation because it did not represent the desires of residents and would be an “eyesore“.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, town planner Julie Lancashire said her client, the Millett family, were long established in town and “cared greatly” for how 52 O’Shanassy Street would be developed.
“They are excited by the opportunity to provide a mixed use development that allows for some housing opportunities within the town centre, and some extra commercial development that will increase the jobs on offer in town,” she said.
She also said Sunbury had an ample supply of three and four bedroom dwellings but a poor supply of one and two bedroom dwellings, which the development would address.
Fellow Jacksons Creek ward councillor Jarrod Bell supported the development but said he was “not in the slightest surprised that council received 49 objections”.
He said the growth of Sunbury was inevitable and exponential, and that he was committed to housing access for all.
“While we see developments like Rosenthal, Redstone, Maplestone and Everleigh growing our community outward, it is undeniable and logical that we must, in appropriate places, also grow up,“ Cr Bell said.
