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Family living at Ferrars St

Family living at Ferrars St

By Niccola Anthony

A proposed 20-storey apartment complex in the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area is set to become particularly family-friendly.

A Section 72 amendment to the existing permit for 171-183 Ferrars St would dramatically increase the number of three-bedroom dwellings on the proposed site from the original plans.

Amended plans for 171-183 Ferrars St include provision for 43 three-bedroom dwellings, an increase of 41 dwellings of this type.

If successful, the amendment could provide a blueprint for 21st century family living in the inner-city, given that the recently-opened South Melbourne Primary School is within walking distance of the development.

The revised plans also provide a car parking rate of 0.8 spaces per dwelling, a proposal made in consideration of the July 2014 Fishermans Bend Strategic Framework Plan (FBSFP).

The FBSFP recommendations would see an overall reduction in local car ownership, maximising the potential for local residents to travel solely by public transport.

At the City of Port Phillip Planning Committee Meeting on August 22, Cr Louise Crawford expressed her desire for the area to become a leader for lifestyle changes and shifted perceptions on car ownership.

“This is the ideal area where we are encouraging families and people to live without cars. It’s exactly what we need to encourage behavioural change,” Cr Crawford said.

“If people are moving into an area where they know they don’t actually have [car parking] facilities that’s the best way to ensure behavioural change.”

However, not all councillors agreed, with concerns raised that a 0.8 car park rate per dwelling was unsuitable for family living.

Cr Andrew Bond argued that each three-bedroom dwelling should have access to at least one parking space onsite and that to support the Section 72 amendments would be “just ridiculous”.

“We want these apartments to be full of families and families have cars,” Cr Bond said.

“A three-bedroom apartment without a car park will just become an Airbnb property or student accommodation, where they’ll cram as many people as they can into every room. That’s not the sort of precinct we want to have here.”

The City of Port Phillip carried a motion in support of the Section 72 application, which will come before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) as the responsible authority next month.

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