Design of open space and landscaping / planting
37.9% of participants either strongly support or somewhat support.
Overview
The landowner of the former Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) site at 37 Graham Road and 32 Middleton Road in Highett proposed a Development Plan for the site that included:
- Approximately 1048 dwellings in buildings ranging from 2 to 7 storeys, as well as internal roads and pedestrian paths
- 3 hectares of nature conservation land and 1 hectare of public open space
- Community facilities (library and maternal and child health centre) and retail space.
Council is responsible for assessing and approving the proposed Development Plan under current planning provisions. To inform Council’s assessment, from 16 August – 19 September 2021, we asked our community to provide their feedback on key aspects of the proposed Development Plan.
Residents (7,130) within a 930m+ radius of the site were invited by letter to participate and provide feedback, with digital communications reaching more than 24,000 people. An article about the consultation was included in Let's Talk Bayside magazine and sent to every household in August 2021.
Community feedback is summarised below, or you can download the complete engagement report.
What we asked
We wanted community feedback on the aspects of the proposed plan that Council can assess and influence through the planning process:
- The scale, form, layout of buildings and the interface with adjoining properties
- Mix of uses, dwelling types, internal amenity and provision of affordable housing
- Design of open space and landscaping/planting
- Integration with surrounding area
- Location and components of community facilities
- Access movement, traffic management, and parking layout
- Staging and management of construction
Only written submissions could be considered because this was a statutory consultation process.
Council strongly encouraged residents to provide feedback during the five-week consultation period to ensure we are aware of all concerns and can work with the developer to negotiate amendments to its proposed Development Plan, where possible.
What you told us
We received a high number of submissions (821)* via Council’s Have Your Say website, email and post.
Aspects of the proposed Development Plan strongly opposed in submissions include:
- Traffic management and parking (78%)
- Scale, form, and layout of buildings (76%)
- Integration with surrounding area (62%)
- Mixes of uses and dwelling types (53%)
Overall level of support for the Development Plan
Most supported aspects of the Development Plan
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Facilitation of affordable housing
24.8% of participants either strongly support or somewhat support.
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Location and components of community facilities
24.7% of participants either strongly support or somewhat support.
Most opposed aspects of the Development Plan
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Interface, scale, form, layout of buildings
88.4% of participants either strongly oppose or somewhat oppose.
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Access movement, traffic management, and parking
86.9% of participants either strongly oppose or somewhat oppose.
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Integration with surrounding area
73.4% of participants either strongly oppose or somewhat oppose.
Top 10 concerns from written feedback
Submissions may have been included in more than one theme. Number of submissions referencing this topic in (brackets)
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#1 Traffic congestion
The streets surrounding the site are already too congested, so further development cannot be supported – 66.6% of participants (547)
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#2 Building height
The buildings are too tall - 59.8% of participants (491)
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#3 High density
The density is too high - 50.6% of participants (415)
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#4 Too many dwellings
36.5% of participants (300)
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#5 Highett Rd too congested
More traffic cannot be supported – 32.4% of participants (266)
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#6 Highett character
Development is not keeping with the Highett character – 30.9% of participants (254)
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#7 Insufficient local parking
Further vehicles cannot be supported – 30.3% of participants (249)
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#8 Middleton St already congested
More traffic cannot be supported – 28.4% of participants (233)
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#9 Graham Rd already congested
More traffic cannot be supported – 26.8% of participants (220)
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#10 Road safety
Increasing the number of vehicles in the area, with potential for crashes involving cars, pedestrians or cyclists – 18.8% (154).
Consultation feedback suggests that the following changes would make the Development Plan more agreeable to many participants:
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Lowering the building heights and decreasing number of dwellings
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Increasing setbacks from existing properties to decrease overshadowing and overlooking of private property
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Further consideration given to how the traffic, road safety and parking impacts will be managed and mitigated
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Increasing the amount of public open space provided
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Providing more detail on the open space and facilities provision, and how construction impacts will be managed to mitigate impacts on the community.
