Changes to the proposed Development Plan for former CSIRO site
We’ve listened to community feedback and requested significant changes to the proposed Development Plan for a new residential precinct at the former Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) site at 37 Graham Road and 32 Middleton Road in Highett. We heard from 766 community members during the statutory consultation period from 16 August to 19 September 2021.
Council has not yet decided whether or not to approve the proposed Development Plan, including any amendments. But while we’re still working through the detail of community submissions*, some major concerns are clear. *Please note these figures are approximate and subject to change until the analysis is completed.
Aspects of the proposed Development Plan strongly opposed 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%).
Most common concerns in written submissions:
- Surrounding roads are already too congested (64%)
- The buildings are too tall (56%)
- The density is too high (47%)
- Not in keeping with the character of Highett (26%)
- Inadequacy of car parking provided (25%).
What are the proposed changes?
These amendments have been agreed by the developer to its proposed Development Plan:
- Reduction of maximum building height for some buildings in the precinct’s central zone down to 6 storeys
- Increased setbacks for upper storeys of buildings sited near the Middleton Street (eastern boundary).
- One-way access for the Middleton Road exit/entry point to the site
- Dedicated car parking spaces available for all apartments
- Enhanced biodiversity, native and indigenous vegetation, and links with the Highett Grassy Woodland
- All dwellings to meet or exceed Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) best practice.
Find out more about these proposed changes and tell us what you think.
Webinar with the developer
The Development Plan applicant, Sunkin Property Group, will host a webinar to talk through changes to its proposed Development Plan on Tuesday 12 October 2021 at 7.30pm.
Next steps
Council will consider submissions made by the community during the consultation period and whether or not to approve the proposed Development Plan, including the amendments outlined on this page, at its meeting on 26 October 2021.
In accordance with the statutory processes outlined in the Bayside Planning Scheme, once a Development Plan is approved, no additional community engagement will occur for future planning permit processes for this site.
Talk to us
If you have any questions about the proposed changes to the Development Plan, or want to find out more about the next steps from here, please get in touch via one of the methods below:
- Submit a question via our Have Your Say Q&A forum
- Book a meeting with one of our Strategic Planning team
- Email our Strategic Planning team at planningstrategy@bayside.vic.gov.au
- Call our project hotline on 9599 4441
