By Brendan Rees
Casey Council will call on the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to knock back a planning application for new residential housing in Cranbourne North.
Schutz Consulting Pty Ltd, a boutique planning firm, lodged plans with Casey Council in June this year proposing to subdivide a site on Alisma Boulevard into 138 residential house lots and provide for a population between 450-500 people.
The matter will go before VCAT after Schutz Consulting Pty Ltd lodged an appeal against Casey Council’s “failure to determine the application within the prescribed time.”
Casey Council manager of statutory planning and building services Duncan Turner the site fell under the Cranbourne North Precinct Structure Plan which identified the land as an active open space/playing fields.
“Council has been negotiating for some time with the developer to secure the land for this purpose,” Mr Turner said.
“Council cannot approve a planning application seeking subdivision of this land into residential lots as it is contrary to the approved structure plan.
“The developer has chosen to pursue a course of legal review in an attempt to challenge their obligation under the approved structure plan. Council will continue to act in the best interests of the community in pursing assets for our growing population.”
At their 4 December meeting, Casey councillors voted unanimously to advise the permit applicant and VCAT that given the lack of active public open space facilities in the area as intended by the Cranbourne North Stage 2 Precinct Structure Plan, “a permit for further housing should not be issued.”
Schutz Consulting declined to comment.
