The new wave of Consumer Advocacy: The 10-storey project in Caulfield South will go ahead after VCAT ruled it was exempt from the state planning height limits because of “its function” as a village and aged care development – the first to take advantage of this clause.

As we reported here, the Not For Profit took its plans to VCAT in September last year after the local council knocked back its original 19-storey plan over height concerns.

The redeveloped site will feature 69 independent living units, plus a 33-bed inpatient facility and an 83-bed aged care facility.

There is no escaping however the significant difference between 19 and 10 storeys.

The 400-member Bethlehem Hospital Community Action Group has told the local paper they raised “tens of thousands of dollars” to fight the proposal, and were happy it had been scaled back.

However the Group’s joint organiser Kelvin Cope says the decision will give other aged care developers free rein to “exploit the loophole”.

VCAT doesn’t agree. While the Tribunal did acknowledge concerns about the precedent, it says the development is “needed and would have a positive impact locally and broadly”.