■ SAE Institute, 235 Normanby Rd,
South Melbourne
SAE are a tertiary education provider that specialise in the creative media industry. They provide courses in the areas of animation, film, gaming and others. This site forms their primary campus within the city of Melbourne.
CHALLENGE
The site is along a designated metropolitan highway and the proposal included alteration of access arrangements and installation of bike parks that are directly accessible from the highway, requiring approval from Vicroads. The institute also remained open until late at night seven days per week.
SOLUTION
The CS team recognised that Vicroads support was critical for the proposed level of bike parks within the site and approached Vicroads for support before approaching council. This proactive approach provided council a high level of assurance that the site had been carefully considered as suitable for an education use prior to an application being lodged. The institute also remains open to students until 11pm and to resolve any issues council had with this our experts lodged documentation with council demonstrating the nearest residential property was in excess of two hundred metres away and the late operating hours would not affect existing residential amenity.
“I found your service to be very good and easy to deal with. Thanks again for your help to get this completed.”
JOHN REUS
■ Bfit, 8 Garden Road,
Clayton
‘BFit’ is a class only based gymnasium that operates classes in the early morning and evening and is closed during normal business hours. They are usually located within semi industrial areas with residential houses nearby.
CHALLENGE
‘Bfit’premises rely on shared car parking for their members and never have the car parking supply to cater for all the members during class times. This can be of concern for nearby business’ and residents who also rely on shared car parking to accommodate visitors and customers.
SOLUTION
As part of any gym application we appoint a dedicated traffic engineer to identify the car parking supply and demand around the premises so we can accurately forecast the extent of an issue car parking will be around the premises. This dedicated traffic report is lodged with the town planning application in a proactive approach to the likely objections from the public on based on car parking. This approach is well received by Council and despite the application receiving a number of objections it was approved in January 2022.
“Thank you to your highly skilled and professional team for their efforts and hard work. Your friendly, professional and prompt team create an atmosphere where it is a pleasure to collaborate. We always have, and I believe will continue to have the highest regard for the excellence that CS Town Planning Services bring to the table.“
BORIS S
■ 111 Cecil Street,
Melbourne
‘Schnitz’ restaurants will be well known to all Victorians as one of the fastest growing franchises in Australia. The CS team is Schmitz’s preferred consultant to run town planning applications for their stores through council. This corner site in South Melbourne is opposite south Melbourne markets and is also heritage listed.
CHALLENGE
Heritage listed buildings in the City of Port Phillip are treated very conservatively by Councils planning department so any large signage or external fixtures such as awnings or even painted logos on the building will not be allowed by Council. The rationale behind this is that they do not want anything that could detract from the heritage significance of the building as experienced by the average passer-by on the street.
SOLUTION
The CS planning team had to work diligently with the Schnitz branding team to broker an outcome that meant the restaurant was easily recognisable to its customers from the outside and did not erode the heritage significance of the building. The result was the approval of the application and the restaurant opened its doors in 2015.
“I would like to pass on our gratitude for your efforts in assisting us to get a Town Planning Permit. During the course of proceeding we faced many challenges, but you were never fazed cuted the VCAT case extremely professionally. I have no doubt that if not for your efforts, a lesser result would have prevailed.”
JOE & JANINE SCARMOZZINO
■ ANZ, 249 Waterworks Road,
Ashgrove QLD
Our experts are engaged by ANZ to obtain the required council planning permits for all their branches throughout Australia. This project was the conversion of a former St Georges bank to an ANZ branch and also included the temporary closing of the footpath.
CHALLENGE
This former St Georges Bank was taken over by ANZ in mid – 2020 and was required to be refurbished and opened as an ANZ branch in less than six months. Our team were appointed to obtain town planning approval and approval to erect the hoarding on the footpath so the construction team could commence an expedited fitout.
SOLUTION
In consultation with Council the CS team lodged a congruent town planning approval application and a footpath occupation permit for the hoarding with council. This allowed for an expedited dual approval of both elements of the project but was dependant on comprehensive details to be provided to Council at lodgement stage to ensure both applications proceeded seamlessly through council. With no further information requested by council in assessing either application, both were approved within weeks of lodgement and the fitout was completed and the branch opened to customers ahead of schedule in October 2020.
“I am forever grateful the team at CS for the work in achieving a full unequivocal approval. I would happily recommend CS Town Planning to anyone for all works pertaining to planning, development, lodgements, representation to Council, plans and design – their entire suite of services!”
MICHEL BOUTIN
■ 1 Wolai Ave, Bentleigh East
This project consisted of demolition of the existing house on the corner lot and replacement with two contemporary four bedroom houses.
CHALLENGE
The architect was proposing a modern design response with newer style exterior finishes on a site within the ‘minimal change’ area of Glen Eira City Council. The level of change proposed by the development was not accepted by council in the pre application meeting discussions.
SOLUTION
Our experts collaborated with the architect on an updated schedule of finishes that met the clients brief and were more accepted by council. Although we had to go VCAT to dispute some of the conditions council applied to the final approval, the development was permitted in May 2017.
“The best thing about the service provided by CS was their speed of response to my queries and questions. They are quick, friendly, professional and knowledgeable people who really look out for our interests and gave good advice and tips for our projects.”
S NARAAYAN
■ 22 Ireland Street,
Ringwood
This project involved the removal of two houses and redevelopment of the land for nine townhouses including the removal of 35 native trees from a site within a significant landscape overlay and attracted 33 objections from local residents.
CHALLENGE
The site was densely vegetated when the project begun in 2015 and the CS team firstly appointed a reputable local arborist to document the location, size and designate a retention value to each tree. The development required the removal of a high number of native trees within an area where planning controls restrict vegetation removal.
SOLUTION
By engaging an arborist before the design was developed it allowed the architect to design around the highest value trees and we were able to demonstrate this to Council and objectors. Although the proposal did still require the removal of thirty five native trees, our diligent approach was accepted favourably by council and it was supported.
“We have worked with CS on multiple sites and the team are always so helpful and quick to respond to our questions and requests that we would not go anywhere else for town planning applications.”
M. ZANTIOTIS
■ 29 Walter Street,
Glen Waverley
This project consisted of demolition of the existing house and replacement with two large French Provincial style dwellings. Monash City Council were not supportive of the application but ultimately the development was approved by VCAT in April 2017.
CHALLENGE
Council had a broad range of issues with the design including building mass, neighbourhood character and lack of landscaping opportunities. One of the key reasons Monash refused the application was due to the introduction of a second driveway for the site for the front dwelling. Council’s assessment was that two driveways resulted in excessive concrete within the front setback and would destroy the suburban front garden setting of the site.
SOLUTION
Our experts worked with the architect to develop a permeable paving design response for the driveway to demonstrate the willingness of the landowner to work with council to balance their competing objectives. In the VCAT hearing we tabled a number of photographs of developments within the street that included large sections of concrete within their front setback. We argued that council’s policies about garden settings must be balanced against what can be seen as a person walks along the street. The VCAT member concurred that our changes to the plans made the development a good outcome and in May 2017 ordered that the council’s decision be overturned and a permit issued.
“We met with two other providers and your professionalism and clarity of process was miles ahead of the others. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your honesty and transparency.”
JACQUI T
■ 127 Power Street,
Hawthorn
This 10 house development occupies a strategic development site within walking distance to the junction between Burwood Road and Power Street. It was particularly contentions due to its close proximity to nearby residential interfaces.
CHALLENGE
The site had been subject to a previous VCAT appeal that resulted in a three storey apartment style development of twenty nine units being refused on numerous grounds. Objectors were spurred on by this decision in pursuing another refusal for the new application to develop the site for 10 standalone houses.
SOLUTION
Our experts were cognisant of the extent of issues with the rejected application and so had to focus on developing a much more tempered design response in the new application. The result was a much more balanced outcome that achieved the developer’s desired yield and presented a much more acceptable outcome to council and the adjoining residents that was ultimately approved.
“I would recommend CS town planning any time any day. The team are well trained and have ushered me from a potentially traumatic experience with Melbourne City council to a very fruitful one. I look forward to continue my patronage with CS Town planning.”
C LAU
■ 3 Capital Avenue,
Glen Waverley
This project consisted of demolition of the existing house and replacement with two large French Provincial style dwellings. Monash City Council were not supportive of the application but ultimately the development was approved by VCAT in October 2018.
CHALLENGE
Glen Waverley has become a popular suburb for knock down, rebuild projects but when the redevelopment increases the number of houses on the lot from one to two then a planning permit is required. This provides Council a strong influence on the design outcome and in this case they were not supportive of the application on the basis that it was inconsistent with the established neighbourhood character. This was deeply upsetting and confusing for our clients because they had seen a number of single houses redevelopments in their street that were directly comparable to what they wanted to build.
SOLUTION
Following the council refusal we were engaged to prepare and appear at a VCAT hearing for our clients. VCAT have a much broader view of defining neighbourhood character and attach a lot of weight to the emerging character of a street when assessing whether a new development respects this character. Our experts were able to effectively demonstrate to the tribunal that the development was consistent with the emerging character and on this basis the refusal was overturned and the development approved.
“Thanks to the CS team for taking on our VCAT case against Monash council. Everyone there was very helpful, informative and professional from the start to finish and the process was very easy. Everyone responded to email/phone calls promptly.
And we got the outcome we were after!
ENZA R
■ 384 Dandenong Road,
Caulfield North
This project involved the demolition of the existing house and construction of seven replacement houses with a basement car park and direct access to a highway.
CHALLENGE
The site had sensitive interfaces on both sides and the impacts of overshadowing, overlooking and visual bulk to these interfaces had to be carefully mitigated to ensure a successful application. The site was also located on a main road and required a carefully designed basement ramp and passing bay to earn support from VicRoads.
SOLUTION
Our expert team consulted with the architect to ensure the development ‘stepped down’ with the topography of the land and removed the top storey from the last townhouse to resolve the building bulk impact on the property to the rear. We engaged a reputable traffic engineer to design the ramp access and passing bay area at the front of the site to ensure it met with VicRoads requirements and Australian Standards.
“I would like to thank CS Town Planning for their assistance with the town planning process for our duplex project. They have dealt with all matters proficiently allowing the process to be seamless whilst offering constructive suggestions inline with our project guidelines. I am more than more than comfortable recommending CS”
TRENT C