State legislation targeting Cloverdale and surrounding areas for high-density developments is likely to allow the project to go ahead, despite opposition from the City of Belmont.
Petition leader Coral Miles (69) said residents were concerned that a planned two-storey apartment complex with nine units and 12 parking bays at 29 Gild Street would worsen parking and pavement congestion issues in the area.
When Mrs Miles addressed the issues at the July 23 council meeting, Mayor Phil Marks said he had expressed his concerns about the development with the ‘top people’ but the council could not refuse grant planning approval for the application if it complied with residential design codes under that State Planning Policy.
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READ NOW‘We were told (the council’s) hands are tied,’ Mrs Miles said.
Mrs Miles said she held concerns for how the development would affect a severely disabled neighbour reliant on a wheelchair, and the many elderly residents,who used gofers to get about, because of an increased congestion of bins and cars.
‘We’ve seen the City grow into a beautiful area but now it’s being turned it into a slum,’ she said.
Gild Street residents June (77) and George (86) Wilton left England in 1964 to avoid living in a high-density area.
They said they were already often unable to get out of their driveway because of the number of cars parked in the street.