Westbury residents take issue with 'crammed' six units in Meander Valley planning application

Meander Valley Council received the application, which hopes to subdivide the land (measuring 3373m2) on 14 Taylor Street, demolish two outbuildings and build six dwellings with vehicle access, parking and landscaping.

The council's planning officers have recommended that the application be approved. However, two responses take issue with the number of planned homes on the block of land.

"The applicant wishes to cram six large units (3 beds each) into this tiny plot of land with hardly room to walk around each house, hardly room for cars to get in and out," one complainant writes.

READ MORE: Racing trainer 'thumbing his nose' at Office of Racing Integrity

"No more than three of these houses should be permitted on this lot so that each will have at least a little bit of garden to enjoy."

"This plan is a horrible example of developers' greed with no concern at all for the happiness and welfare of anyone who might live there. Please put a stop to this awful plan!"

A second complainant also takes issue with the density of the design.

"We are not against homes being built but we are against homes built on parcels of land in high density fashion as it is not keeping the character of a quaint rural village," they write.

"The high density developments which have occurred recently are of a major concern."

The planner's response says that the plan "more than complies" with the density limits in the General Residential Zone.

READ MORE: Witness says accused was 'slobbering like a mad idiot'

The council planner also notes that demographic change in Tasmania along with population growth and an aging population "has led to a recognised shortage of residential dwellings and across the State."

"Developments of this type provide homes to fill this gap, that are suitable for a variety of people and represent an efficient use of appropriately zoned land and associated infrastructure such as roads and utility services through infill development," the planner says.

One of the complainants appeared at the council meeting and listed a variety of reasons why the application should be rejected.

Councillor Ben Dudman said that he agreed with some of the complaints and had "long held a problem with the planning scheme and the density levels that are allowing these developments through."

However Cr Dudman said that he would support the application "because it does meet the planning scheme."

"I don't agree that it should meet the planning scheme but as it is written, it does and that is outside my control."

READ MORE: Tasmanian AFL superstar to retire after 347th game

If councillors vote against an application that fits the planning scheme, it will simply go to a tribunal, he said.

"We will lose and the rate payers will pay tens of thousands of dollars for that decision. And that doesn't sit well with my conscience."

Councillor Anne-Marie Loader acknowledged housing shortages but said she didn't believe that "squishing a whole lot of tiny units onto a block is going to help this situation."

"I think we need to have balance. We need new homes, but we also need space."

The motion was carried with four councillors voting for and three voting against the application.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

Follow us on Google News: The Examiner