VMCH CEO slams VCAT’s decision to reject retirement development as “nonsensical”

The Catholic for-purpose organisation has had its plan to build a five-storey, 56-apartment retirement development on an existing site in Ivanhoe East, 8km from Melbourne’s CBD, killed.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal’s (VCAT) decision on 18 May followed a planning permit refusal from Banyule City Council in September last year.

VMCH said the design of the development fell within all relevant bylaws and planning requirements, and the planned project was meeting a huge demand for retirement accommodation in the area.

VMCH CEO Sonya Smart says she is “extremely disappointed” by VCAT’s decision, based on height and streetscape concerns.

“We don’t believe there are strong grounds for refusal,” she says. “It seems we are victim to interpretations and greyness that surrounds planning merits. Some of VCAT’s findings are frankly absurd and appear to be based on personal perception rather than substantiated by planning controls,” she said.

“To be given a blatant ‘no’ from the tribunal with no right to appeal is also ridiculous. We were willing to work with the Tribunal and council and local residents to achieve a result that would have benefited the entire community.”

Sonya said the planning process had “wasted” nearly $2 million.

“The State Government is asking independent providers to find solutions to this housing problem, on which we are spending our own funds. But the government itself is not working collaboratively with councils to help make this happen – it doesn’t make sense.

“Responsible building that could change people’s lives is not occurring in some cases due to the objections of a few local neighbours. Yes, everybody must have a voice, but let's be reasonable and sensible.”