Highgate: City of Vincent rejects proposed development for second time, JDAP to give second ruling

CITY of Vincent council has rejected a proposed Highgate residential development for the second time.

The Momentum Wealth project was first rejected by Vincent some months ago before being rejected by the Metro West Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP), before reaching the State Administrative Tribunal, which ordered mediation.

Having been opposed a second time by the council, the proposed multi-level residential complex will be considered by a JDAP again on June 2.

A spokesman for Momentum said the company was “confident” JDAP would “take an objective view” on the proposal.

“With a clear precedent for such developments in the area, including the four-storey Woodley apartments and the five-storey Monarc apartments, we are confident that the architectural standard is of high integrity and that JDAP will take an objective view when assessing the project,” he said.

Highgate resident Hugh Stickey from the Right for Wright Street group said the developers had “reduced the maximum height of the five-storey block by only 54cm”.

“The building will tower over our house and will be very imposing from our rear and central courtyards,” he said.

The Momentum Wealth spokesman said the height had been reduced “by more than one metre and more than two metres for the west and east buildings” respectively.

“We have reduced the bulk of the project by removing two apartments and reducing the total area by 669sq m, and increasing setback to all boundaries,” he said, noting that 99 residents were invited to comment by Vincent council and 23 responded in opposition.

However, only six submissions were in favour.

Toby Whincup, also from Right for Wright, said 23 out of 29 submissions to council opposed the development.

In a collective statement, the group said it was “pleased to see that the City of Vincent has rejected the development on the grounds of bulk and scale, impact on amenity to local community and being out of context with the neighbourhood”.

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