A LARGE group of Flora Hill ratepayers who oppose a housing development in their street are eagerly awaiting the outcome of a VCAT hearing in Bendigo next week.
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About 80 objectors responded to the developer's application earlier this year for a planning permit to build a 15-lot subdivision at 21-25 Curtin Street.
Next week's VCAT hearing was sought on behalf of the developer, who will appeal its case for the development to go ahead.
It will hear submissions against the proposal from the City of Greater Bendigo council, who voted unanimously against the development in June, as well as from objectors such as Flora Hill's Margaret Kane.
Mrs Kane said the idea of high-density living in a streetscape consisting mainly of 1960s and 70s brick veneers did not appeal to residents on the street.
"This is the nicest area of Bendigo, there are hills everywhere. They want to put it up on the hill, it will look terrible," she said.
Mrs Kane said the application did not take into account enough planned parking spaces, and included too many dwellings for the one block of land.
"To them the plan is only lines on a piece of paper, but it's the neighbours who will have to live with all this."
Councillor Rod Campbell, who put the matter before council on June 18, said council shared concerns with height, density and traffic associated with the development.
The opinion among ratepayers was that it would impact the neighbourhood character of the street, he said.
"The whole look of the development was dramatic in terms of height," he said.
"Certainly council did form the view the weight of the objection was very solid and had merit."
However, Cr Campbell said council was mindful of the need to not oppose high density development per se.
"I'm not saying we shouldn't be moving to high density, especially where there are universities close by, but the developer needs to be in keeping with neighbourhood character," he said.
He said council had been instrumental in pushing for the VCAT hearing to be held in Bendigo, rather than Melbourne.
"We thought it might be beneficial if ratepayers could hear the deliberation," Cr Campbell said.
"So that’s a good thing. It gives everyone a good opportunity to hear both sides."
Editor's note: Earlier versions of this story incorrectly identified the developer as Terraco and later Madison Homes. Terraco is the development consultant which lodged the application for a planning permit on behalf of the developers. Madison Homes will be the builder if the project is approved. Neither Terraco nor Madison Homes are the developer.