OBJECTORS against a planned 157-apartment complex in Seaford intend to take their opposition to the development to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The Kananook Creek Association and a private individual have both lodged appeals against the construction of a 12-metre high four-storey building at 78-83 Nepean Hwy.
Frankston councillors narrowly voted four-three to give the project the green light from a council perspective late last year (‘Lucky number ‘157’ for developer’, The Times 30/11/15).
KCA president Paul Davies said the community group believes the 157-unit development “is an inappropriate development in that location”.
Mr Davies noted 57 dwellings will be built on a site that’s slightly under one hectare in size “in an area that’s defined in council’s strategic plan as ‘medium density’ at best”.
“It is completely out of character with the area,” he said.
“This is a large high-density development. It will have an impact on the amenity of the neighbours and an impact on the creek and users of the creek.”
He said the association is worried about flooding and the flow of water in to Kananook Creek if the 157-apartment building goes ahead.
Objectors and the developer Resimax Property Group will attend a mediation hearing hosted by VCAT in late March.
“Hopefully we can come to some agreement with the other parties to achieve an outcome that is acceptable to all,” Mr Davies said.
He said a medium-density apartment building would be in keeping with the neighbourhood’s character but declined to say how many apartments would be an acceptable maximum number.
If objectors and Resimax fail to come to a compromise in March a full VCAT appeal hearing will be heard in June.
Resimax Property Group is owned by Melbourne businessman Ozzie Kheir, co-owner of the Adelphi Hotel and owner of the Bond Bar and Baroq House.
Resimax did not return calls from The Times asking for comment about the VCAT appeal against its planned Seaford project.
