A PANEL will assess proposed changes to Kingston Council’s planning guidelines next year.
Council has been working on its housing strategy and neighbourhood character study for the last five years. The strategy will shape the size of future residential developments. It is now seeking a planning scheme amendment to incorporate the strategy into its planning controls.
An independent planning panel, appointed by the state government, will consider the strategy next year. Meetings are expected to begin in March, and formal submitters will be invited to consult on the strategy.
Kingston mayor Hadi Saab said that council received more than 500 submissions on the strategy when it was out for consultation this year, which “highlighted the importance of getting this right.”
“Building heights, population growth and the impact on car parking, traffic, and infrastructure, the proposed application of the neighbourhood residential zone, and environmental matters like climate change, trees and flooding were among the key issues and topics discussed by submitters,” he said. “As always, we remain committed to ensuring Kingston is well planned, with any future growth centred in and around our key activity centres, close to public transport, shops, and services to allow us to protect the amenity of our neighbourhood streets. We look forward to the independent panel’s assessment and moving forward with our action plan for carefully balancing how we plan for population growth.”
A draft of the strategy approved last year saw 77.24 per cent of land available for residential development classified as in the “neighbourhood residential zone”, limiting development to two storeys. There were areas between Mentone and Moorabbin designated “substantial change”, allowing developments of up to four storeys.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 21 December 2022