By Kyra Gillespie
Plans for a squeezy development at the entrance of Pakenham’s Main Street has received backlash, with concerns it will mar the town’s visual appeal.
Submitted by Alexandra Thorn on behalf of developer Sienna Homes, 6,8 and 10 Main Street Pakenham will become home to ten single and double storey houses, an office building and parking.
The planning permit was approved without mention by Cardinia Shire at their monthly meeting on Monday 20 August.
Four objections have been received to date, with traffic, parking, amenity issues and drainage concerns included.
One objector said the proposal was aesthetically inconsistent with the area.
The Berwick-Pakenham Historical Society regularly uses the historical museum, located metres from the imminent development.
Society secretary Audrey Dodson said the crammed development will ruin the entrance to the township.
“Considering that’s the entrance to the town there should be something pretty special there,” she said.
“They’ve got a nice entrance now with the monument, museum and church.
“If council have to sell that land they should do it to something worthy of that position.”
Fellow Historical Society volunteer Gloria O’Connor said she was disappointed that the council did not notify the group of their plans.
“It seems a few local residents received notice about this, but not the Berwick-Pakenham Historic Society or its volunteer members, who frequently occupy the building to keep everything in storage, have public viewing days, meetings and so on,” Ms O’Connor said.
“We are all very dissatisfied with council’s lack of common sense and creativity about how to use the site in relation to the picturesque view of what is a valuable and important site at entry to the town of Pakenham, with no chance for discussion about possibilities.
“Perhaps something like a tourist centre with information about the shire and surrounds?
“Council staff don’t seem to be interested in preserving and celebrating historic locations and information.”
The land, which abuts Snodgrass Street and Main Street, was previously council-owned before its recent sale to Sienna Homes.
Pakenham Creek bounds the north-eastern boundary of the site with single dwelling allotments fronting Princes Highway.
The proposal outlines a two-storey dwelling split to contain an office in the ground floor and a dwelling on the first floor.
Three of the ten developments will be two-bedroom, single storey houses, while four will be three-bedroom, double storey developments.
There will be one four-bedroom dwelling.
Each potential home would include a single car garage and tandem driveway space.
There only appears to be two visitor car parks outlined to serve all ten houses.
Cardinia Shire Mayor Collin Ross said council has plans to transform the current Main Street access into an entrance-only thoroughfare in the future, relieving congestion where the development will go.
A council report states the development will contribute to housing diversity in the area.
“The development contributes towards a diversity of housing types and sizes, with the two-storey townhouses providing a form of housing that is currently not common to the area, making more efficient use of available land,” the report reads.
Council’s planning and development manager Andrew Paxton said any further objectors would need to seek advice from VCAT.
Development is expected to start by 2020.
Sienna Homes have been contacted by the Gazette for comment.
