By Tate Papworth
Brimbank council is looking to define housing character and design objectives for residential areas.
The council is conducting a neighbourhood character study, assessing the existing housing character and how it may look in future years.
The goal is to have set guidelines so future developments fit accordingly.
Mayor Lucinda Congreve said it will help ease possible future conflict.
“It’s not uncommon for council to receive community objections and hear concerns about different types of residential developments being proposed in our municipality,” she said.
“Until now, councils have had limited authority to set neighbourhood character direction for new residential developments, but that’s changing.
“Our draft neighbourhood character study proposes design objectives that could apply to your land, and may influence how you and your neighbours build and develop residential land.”
The draft study does not propose to change the current zoning of land, but rather establish the type of building design or features that would best suit neighbourhoods.
In June, Kealba residents rallied against a proposed development of more than 200 townhouses and apartments at the former Kealba Secondary College site. One of their objections was the design was out of character with the area.
