The original proposal for a four-storey, 90-unit building was met with a 350-signature petition, with resident group Striker Balance forming to fight the plans.
A revised plan for an 87-unit building was described by Striker Balance member David Hulbert as only making a very minor change and still in breach of the height limit for R40 zoning by more than 50 per cent.
‘We are not opposed to the idea of a development with higher density homes, we realise it has to happen,’ he said.
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READ NOW‘However, we feel that four storeys is going to be too high in this area where most homes are single storey.’
He said residents were also concerned about the increased traffic the development would bring, especially for children travelling along Kitchener Road to nearby Melville Primary School.
The group presented the City of Melville with a 137-signature petition last week, calling for a special electors’ meeting about the proposal.
The application will be considered by a Development Assessment Panel, made up of three specialist members and two councillors, and not the City of Melville as the cost of the project exceeds $7 million.
Melville Mayor Russell Aubrey confirmed that a request for a special meeting of electors to discuss the proposed development of the site had been delivered and received by council.
While the City has confirmed this meeting will be held, final details are still to be arranged.
The mayor said the City had not yet made a recommendation to the assessment panel and a date for the panel’s meeting was yet to be determined.