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1. Use and development of a 5-storey apartment, including restaurant at ground floor and waiver of car parking - (residential parking and restaurant parking)
   Application number MPS/2020/515

   Why does it say…
   “The proposed development provides nine apartments over three levels and ground level restaurant within a four-storey building that is commensurate with the scale of development expected to occur within the activity centre. The apartments will add appropriately to housing needs in terms of diversity and affordability and facilitate the mix of land uses sought within the neighbourhood, while the ground level restaurant will provide an active frontage that will assist in creating a vibrant activity centre and strengthen the economy of the immediate area.”
   On pg 11 of the Town Planning Report??????

   I live in Whitby Street and wish to object to the application for the proposed development at 57 Melville Road, West Brunswick.

   On these grounds:

   PARKING and car access

   The site is subject to a Parking Overlay – Schedule P01.

   Parking demand surveys have been undertaken proximate to the site to determine the existing demand and availability. The Parking demand survey did not include Whitby Street (West), which is on the same side of the road as the proposed development. It is likely that patrons to the restaurant AND visitors to the apartments would use this street for parking.

   There are already some parking issues with patrons parking in Whitby Street (West) to visit The Postmistress restaurant.

   The Parking demand survey was only done from 8am -6pm: this did not take into account evening patrons and visitors, just commuter/ consumer parking during general business hours.

   The statutory parking requirement for the development is more than the on-site parking space applied for. Fewer car parking spaces impact on the amenity of nearby residential areas: the ABS car ownership census data indicates that a large number of one bedroom residents do not own a vehicle, but friends and visitors are likely to do so.

   The existing restaurant use on the site has no on-site parking thus the parking currently generated this use is accommodated on the streets about the site.
   The existing business, Roy’s, has decreased its current business hours, so parking is not presently much of a problem. I anticipate that the replacement restaurant will increase its opening hours, creating greater more traffic in the evenings. Also, the disabled car-parking spot is not clear on the plans.

   Using The Stray Neighbour – 463-467 Plenty Road, Preston data is irrelevant to this proposal.

   An additional storey to the 4 storey, with a 3-bedroom apartment, adds more occupants and the various needs of each individual resident, including vehicular access/parking required by visitors.

   The height is not consistent with the relevant neighbourhood character objective, policy or statement set out in the relevant planning scheme. The site is zoned for 4 storeys.
   The building does not suit the surrounding area.

   Surrounding Area
   The subject site is located within an established mixed commercial and residential area designated as the Melville Road/Albion Street/Victoria Street, Brunswick West Neighbourhood Activity Centre. In the surrounding area, land uses are consistent with those found within commercially zoned land, including a variety of shops, food and drink premises and similar retailing uses.
   Built form along this portion of Melville Road generally comprise attached commercial buildings of either single or two storey scale, with the exception of Estonian House. Buildings are constructed to site boundaries and comprise glazing at ground level oriented to the public realm, while canopies are often provided along building frontages. The site's immediate context comprises:
   To the North:
   The site at No. 59 Melville Road supports a single storey brick building in which "Combination Wholesale Meats" currently operates. It is built to site boundaries along the frontage and is similar in footprint to the building on the subject site. A large garage abuts the right of way at rear.
   To the South:
   The adjoining site at No. 55 is occupied by an old-style single storey dwelling which is setback from the frontage and oriented to front Melville Road. It is constructed of brick with a hipped metal roof. To its rear a second dwelling has been constructed which is two storey and rendered and comprises a balcony along the rear and north side of the upper level.
   To the East:
   Across Melville Road, the context is predominantly commercial, with a pharmacy, supermarket and vehicle exhaust centre three of many commercial premises along this side.
   To the West:
   Across the abutting right of way, is a neighbourhood residential zone where the predominant built form is single dwelling lots, with some low scale flats. (MY AREA)

   Maximum building height requirement for a dwelling or residential building
   A building used as a dwelling or a residential building must not exceed 13.5 metres unless the slope of the natural ground level at any cross section wider than 8 metres of the site of the building is 2.5 degrees or more, in which case the height of the building should not exceed 14.5 metres.
   The floor height –or height to balcony panel - is stated to be 13.5m, but with the height of the ceiling of the top apartment plus the solar panels and other hardware on the roof, seen in the section diagram, the building would exceed 14.5m
   I am for reducing the development to ground floor plus 3 storeys AND increasing on-site parking spaces to better accommodate the needs of apartment residents, restaurant patrons and neighbouring residents.

   Helen Kostiuk,

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