By Mitchell Clarke
A group of Pakenham residents are angry about a neighbouring property which has been subdivided, leaving a 9.5 metre frontage on a street where the minimum frontage is 35 metres.
Some residents of Waterford Rise in Lakeside are worried about the overall streetscape and believe the new development will completely change the feel of the street.
“This area was the cream of the crop,” one resident said.
“We pay more rates here in Lakeside than the rest of Pakenham,” another added.
“Because we have the gardens and everything and they cost extra to maintain, the Council claim.”
Apart from the look of the neighbouring property, the group claim they were deceived and blindsided by the State Government and Cardinia Council, after they weren’t given any sort of notice from anyone that the property was to be subdivided.
“It happened without any knowledge to any of us. We should’ve all been notified about the potential of this when we bought into it.
“We’re not exclusive, we’re not the nice area we thought we were buying into if everyone can do this, it starts a precedent for every man and his dog to do so,” one lady said.
“We should be compensated for this, we all paid extra to have this beautiful façade, that none of us are going to have.”
Acting General Manager Infrastructure and Environment Andrew Barr said there are no minimum lot width requirements under the Cardinia Planning Scheme.
“The application was considered and approved based on the zoning of the land within an urban growth area, the planning controls, as well as the objectives of relevant policy such as encouraging urban consolidation and dwelling diversity,” he said.
“It was determined that the subdivision creates a lot that could sufficiently contain a dwelling and allow more diverse housing options within an urban growth area.”
