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[2009] VCAT 2211
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
2009-10-19
Mr J, Ms J
Original judgment source is linked above.
Application under S.79 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 for review of the failure to grant a permit within the prescribed time. Mixed Use Zone. Heritage Overlay. Design & Development Overlay. Clause 52.06 Car Parking. Clause 52.27 Licensed Premises. Demolition. Student Accommodation. Food and drink premises. Significance of the heritage place. Effect on the significance of the heritage place. State and Local Planning Policy Framework. Zone Purposes. Streetscape. Car parking, Traffic.
Rush v Melbourne CC [2009] VCAT 2211
TP00, Site Plan Rev.A, TP02 Ground floor Plan Rev.A, TP03 Upper Ground Floor Plan Rev.A, TP12 Flemington Road Elevation Rev.A, TP13 Villiers Street Elevation Rev.A, TP15 North West Elevation Rev.A, Contextual Elevations Rev.A, Additional Information Rev.A.
Mr Cicero called Mr D Bick, architectural historian and conservation architect, Mr P Barrett, architectural historian and heritage consultant, and Mr M Shepphard, urban designer.
Ms S Porrit of counsel instructed by B Ryan of MCC Legal.
Ms Porrit called Ms M Gould, conservation architect and Mr C Pryor, urban designer.
It is proposed to demolish a hotel currently known as the "Redback" and to construct a part nine and part ten storey building to be used primarily as student accommodation. A food and drink premises is proposed on the ground floor. A reduction in the provision of car parking is also sought (two on site spaces are proposed)
Application under S.79 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 for review of the failure to grant a permit within the prescribed time.
Clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay (HO3 North & West Melbourne)
Clause 43.02 Design & Development Overlay (DDO30 Flemington Road South).
Clause 32.04-1 Use of land for the purpose of accommodation.
No permit is required to use the land for a food and drink premises as the site retains existing use rights as a hotel.
Clause 32.04-5 Construct or extend a residential building.
Clause 32.04-7 Construct a building or construct or carry out works for a use in Section 2 of Clause 32.04-1.
Clause 43.01-1 Demolish a building and construct a building, construct or carry out works.
Clause 43.02-2 Construct a building, construct or carry out works.
Clause 52.06-1 reduce the number of car spaces required.
Clause 22.05 Heritage Places Outside the Capital City Zone.
Clause 22.17 Urban Design Outside the Capital City Zone.
The site is located on the north west corner of Flemington Road and Villiers Street, North Melbourne. It has a frontage of 25 m to Flemington Road, 40 m to Villiers Street, and an area of approximately 1030 m2. The site exhibits an appreciable slope from the front (Flemington Road) to the rear. Little George Street runs along the rear of the site.
The site is currently occupied by the Redback Hotel which is a two storey building constructed in stages dating from the late nineteenth century but substantially altered and extended in the 1930's.
The site is located within a mixed use precinct comprising a variety of building types used for residential and commercial purposes. Single and double storey buildings abut the review site to the north along Flemington Road. These buildings include a D graded Victorian shop. A permit has been granted to demolish the single storey warehouse on the corner of Flemington Road and Harcourt Street and to construct an eight storey building. To the rear of the site on the western side of Little George Street is a large single storey commercial building currently occupied by the Red Cross. A three storey brick building occupies the site on the south west corner of Flemington Road and Villiers Street. The Royal Melbourne Hospital is located on the opposite side of Flemington Road.
5. The building represents an overdevelopment of the site
Will the demolition of the building adversely affect the significance of the heritage place?
'C' buildings. Demonstrate the historical or social development of the local area and /or make an important aesthetic or scientific contribution. These buildings comprise a variety of styles and building types. Architecturally they are substantially intact, but where altered, it is reversible. In some instances, buildings of high individual historic, scientific or social significance may have a greater degree of alteration[2].
Level 3 streetscapes may contain significant buildings, but they will be from diverse periods or styles, and of low individual significance or integrity[3].
These amended plans must be to the satisfaction of the Responsible Authority and when approved shall be the endorsed plans of this permit.
The Section 173 agreement must specifically provide for the following:
(a) The accommodation provided on the subject land is to be used for the exclusive accommodation of students enrolled full time at a secondary or tertiary level educational institution and to be vacated within three months of completion of full time studies;
(b) The building to operate at all times in accordance with the Management Plan as required by Condition 4 of this permit to the satisfaction of the Responsible Authority. The Management Plan must establish a set of 'house rules' for the use, to be followed thereafter, to the satisfaction of the Responsible Authority.
(c) The on-site car parking and bicycle parking spaces approved under this permit must at all times be managed in accordance with the Car and Bicycle Parking Management Plan as required by Condition 5 of this permit to the satisfaction of the Responsible Authority. The on-site car parking spaces are only permitted to be used by the occupants/employees of the student accommodation, in accordance with the endorsed plans, and such spaces must not be subdivided, leased or sold separate from the facility for any reason without the prior written consent of the Responsible Authority.
(d) The owner shall not rely on the presence of the fixed and opaque windows in the northern boundary wall as a basis for any objection, complaint or obstruction to the proposed development of any part of the land at 81, 83 and 85 Flemington Road.
The Responsible Authority may extend the date upon which this permit expires only if it receives a request in writing before the permit expires, or within three months afterwards.
[1] Expert Witness Statement of David Bick presented to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal , 25 June, 2009
[2] Clause 22.05 Melbourne Planning Scheme.
[4] The built form outcomes in the schedule to the overlay are:
[5] Refer to Clause 11.01 of the planning scheme.
Rush
Melbourne CC [2009] VCAT 2211