A HOUSING development on Clarkes Lane in Wangaratta is heading to a state government planning panel hearing in May with nearby residents still holding concerns over the proposal.
A standout concern is the land will be transformed from low density residential zone to an estate of 230 lots where some of the lots will only be 300sqm.
The location of the wastewater treatment facility at Targoora Park, traffic management issues, including the impact to already well-used roads, access to public transport and impact on adjacent One Mile Creek are all concerns for residents.
Nearby resident Jenny Hart raised her concerns about the number of dwellings proposed for the development.
“If this development went ahead with 230 lots, there are three super lots with townhouses or multi-level higher density developments likely to be built on them," she said.
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"That's 100 extra dwellings which could be built there, so we could ultimately be talking about 330 dwellings at the site.
“Yes, Wangaratta needs that kind of development, but compared to areas that have been earmarked and where all the other developments are happening, this parcel of land is in isolation."
Ms Hart said farmland borders the other side of Clarkes Lane, it has Cathedral College beside it, and Pin Oak Drive is low density residential.
"It’s just going to be this little island of 230 houses, with no localised allowance for any shopping, or public transport," she said.
“There will be all these people with very little open space and it will be an island compared to everything else."
Ms Hart noted that the state government is making a push for medium density housing and fast-tracking permits in Melbourne with no rights to appeal, but the key difference is the city has doorstep access to regular public transport.
“If you’re in one of these developments in Melbourne, in a flat or apartment style living, you walk out your door and you have a tram within a couple of blocks, there are shops within five minutes or less, and parkland within 500m," she said.
“If they house people at the proposed location on lots of 300sqm, they have nothing and it’s not fair to do that to people who are going to be buying there because it’s the only affordable option.”
Ms Hart said a VicHealth submission lodged in late 2024 to the Plan for Victoria 2050 is calling for every council’s planning scheme to be automatically linked to their health and wellbeing plan.
“This is exactly the problem, with unvetted growth area developments, they're adding to detrimental health outcomes, increasing anti-social behaviour, which can lead to other social problems," she said.
“When do we as a society say enough is enough and we stand up for good development design principles?”
Ms Hart said she has attempted to ask more questions about concerns over the proposal, but it has fallen on deaf ears.
“How do you participate in the process when you’re actually not included in the process," she said.
“At the panel hearing all we’re going to get is a 10-minute right to speak plus what's in our submissions.
“The proponent gets the privilege to have many meetings with council, they’re working with the developers, and all the people who are impacted are shut out of the process.”
Ms Hart said they bring viable, imaginative, future thinking solutions to the table, if the proponent is asked to engage with them.
