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Under threat of legal action.

DADA folk were called ‘alarmist’ by Darebin Mayor, Steven Tsitas when asked if he would call for a report on the number and type of retrospective variations to planning permits granted in the last 12 months.

Retrospective variation permits are sought by developers who do not build to the approved plans but seek approval post building for whatever they have built.  The permits are granted by planning officers and never go back to objectors for comment and there is no penalty for developers who do this.

Subsequently DADA folk were told that over 500 variations were granted in the last year.  Not an insignificant number.  While some of the variations may be minor changes to the agreed plans, some are not and have detrimental effects on the folk who live nearby and adjacent to the development.

Not one week later it was revealed that a developer did not build two levels of car parking in a high density development in the Melbourne CBD.  A pity nobody was alarmist about what was happening there.

The retrospective permits are a loophole for developers.  It means residents suffer the process of objecting through Council onto VCAT in an attempt to ensure a development is appropriate only to find the developer can then ignore the planning permit and subsequently apply for and receive a variation.

In his reply Mayor Tsitas admitted that, to his knowledge, only one of the 500 plus variations came back to the Darebin Planning Committee for a vote.    It was noted that the debate in Planning Committee of that one variation was predominately about the affront to council’s authority.  There was not one mention of the affect on the local residents by the Councillors even though a resident had given a very considered and detailed account of the negative impact on neighbours.

If you have experienced the ill effects of developers seeking and obtaining retrospective variations to permits DADA would like to hear about it.  We seek your views so we can be better informed of the effects this has and welcome suggestions you have for improvement of the process.

At the Council Meeting on 19th of October Councillor Fontana reported he had visited VCAT for the first time and recommended other Councillors do the same.

Astonishing that a Councillor who is so pro-development and is responsible for sending so many of his constituents off to fight for their rights through VCAT,  without his support, had absolutely no experience of the process until a month ago.

This is another example of a Councillor who condescends to residents suggesting he is better informed about development issues but who, in fact, is ignorant of the facts and real experiences.

It is time to call out Councillors on their ignorant and condescending behavior.  This is best done by voting against them in the next council election 2016.

Dada folk have begun to collect data on how each of the Darebin Councillors vote on planning applications at Planning Committee Meetings.

DADA puts Darebin Councillors on notice for next years election that we are gathering evidence on how pro-development they really are.

Some of the Councillors currently siting ran on an anti-development ticket and may again, but we will be keeping tabs to name and shame the hypocrites.

Watch this space!

 

This is a photo of an wonderful Magnolia in full bloom in a front yard in my neighbourhood. It is soon to be lost to make way for a three dwelling development. Two significant trees in the backyard have already been cut down. This is  happening all over Darebin.

Most other metropolitan councils would be fining the developer for taking out trees without permission, but not Darebin.

Appropriate planning legislation would restrict development on house blocks to two dwellings, saving significant trees for the community and still giving developers a profit.

If you have photos of valued features soon to be lost to over development in your neighbourhood please send them to me.  I will post to the DADA graveyard of ‘gone but not forgotten’.