C154 – Chadstone Shopping Centre

Planning Panel

Stonnington Council, at its meeting on Monday 2 April 2012, has made a decision to request the Minister to appoint an independent Planning Panel to consider submissions received in relation to an Amendment request (C154), for the expansion and redevelopment of the Chadstone Shopping Centre. 

Following extensive consultation, Council has identified a number of important conditions to be recommended to the Panel to address community concerns in relation to urban design, amenity, traffic and planning controls.

For Planning Panel information click here.

The owners of Chadstone Shopping Centre requested Stonnington Council to prepare and exhibit an Amendment to the Stonnington Planning Scheme in October 2011 to allow for the expansion and redevelopment of the Centre. The Minister authorised the Amendment to be placed on exhibition in December 2011.

Council undertook consultation with the community from 19 January to 29 February 2012. Consultation and feedback on Chadstone’s proposal included 129 submissions, two information forums with 81 people attending, a public meeting with 90 people attending, four Focus Groups including 26 participants, a mail-out to 2540 local residents, website information , advertising and documents on exhibition. Information was also sought from government departments including VicRoads and Department of Transport, as well as a range of technical consultants.

The following conditions will be recommended to the Panel by Council, seeking to address community concerns that were raised through the consultation process:

• In the Northern Redevelopment Area, Council is seeking a modification of the building envelope in the vicinity of Midlothian Street to reduce its potential impact on nearby properties.
• In relation to the Princes Highway frontage, Council seeks to refine the building envelope in the proposed Incorporated Plan and include Planning Scheme provisions relating to the width and depth of individual buildings, the need to provide podiums at the street frontage and to ensure appropriate separation between buildings.
• Council opposes the rezoning of 2-4 Chadstone Road and does not support the provision of a south bound slip lane at the Chadstone Road access point.
• Council does not support the removal of the curfew for the Chadstone Road access.
• Council does not support the lowering of the car parking ratios and advocates that investigations on traffic management issues need to continue.
• In relation to Sustainable Transport, Council requires the preparation of an Integrated Transport and Access Plan as a condition of Council support and for inclusion in the Amendment documentation.  Council also requires the preparation of a Transport Modal Shift Feasibility Study as an outcome from this Amendment.
• Council requires that noise and amenity issues are addressed through conditions on planning permits as appropriate and will seek mitigation measures and meaningful contributions from the proponent to address the negative impacts on the local community.
• Council requires an Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) framework as part of the amendment process and an ESD assessment of development applications.

The Independent Planning Panel will consider all submissions and will enable exploration and testing of key elements of the proposal.  All interested parties will be able to participate and express their views.

A Directions Hearing was held on Monday 23 April 2012.  This set the program for the Panel Hearing which commences on Wednesday 16 May 2012.  All parties that made submissions have been invited to represent their views to the Panel.

The Panel must report on its findings within two months of the Hearing.  Council then has to consider the Panel Report and place it on display at which stage it can then either adopt the Amendment with or without changes and refer it to the Minister, or it can abandon the Amendment at that time. 

For more information, contact the City of Stonnington on (03) 8290 1333.