The Canberra Times

October 15, 2012 - 12:16PM

Michelle Griffin

“The volume of objections to new developments should be taken into account when considering planning applications, the Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy has said.

A decision in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal said "the number of objections to the proposed development was an irrelevant consideration" in regard to plans for a Lend Lease apartment development at 590 Orrong Road, Armadale, which include four 12-storey towers.

The decision is being challenged in the Supreme Court by Stonnington Council, which argues that the tribunal "failed to give due regard to significant community input and has made a decision that is not supported by the local community or council"......

....In an interview on the ABC radio station 774 this morning the Planning Minister said twice that, in his opinion, the volume of opposition "should be" taken into consideration by the tribunal.

.... (the objectors) have a passionate view about the city and they are expressing it through the legal channels to do so."....”

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/victoria/guy-adds-weight-to-objections-over-armadale-complex-20121015-27m47.html

Save Williamstown comment:

In 2009 a petition of over 3000 signatories was presented to parliament about the community objecting to the residential high rise high density redevelopment of the Former Port Phillip Woollen Mill Site.

Nearly 200 people wrote lengthy submissions against this development to the Port Phillip Woollen Mill Advisory Committee. 

The developer is manipulating planning applications and refusing to co-operate with Council for a master plan so that the community is now faced with 17 planning applications for the one site.

No-one pays the community for the hard work in objecting to bad planning but VCAT refuses to consider objections by groups of persons insisting to be a valid objection they must each write distinctly different objections. 

Lets hope the Supreme Court forces VCAT and responsible authorities to take notice of communities and their views about impact on EXISTING lifestyle. 

We do not believe the Minister to be a friend of the community.... judging by the actions of Matthew Guy regarding the Port Phillip Woollen Mill Site, the minister speaks in many tongues and is clearly influenced by the wealthy developer community which is seeking to destroy our town.