Residents of Bolton Clarke's Europa on Alma retirement village go to VCAT
At the heart of residents’ concerns is a narrow laneway Storage King customers would use to access the facility, which also serves as the main vehicle entry for Europa on Alma residents and neighbouring homes.
A proposed five-storey storage facility has upset residents at the upmarket retirement village, where a three-bedroom apartment is for sale for $1.285 million.
Residents at Bolton Clarke’s Europa on Alma retirement village have lodged objections with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), arguing the development will put elderly drivers at risk and undermine the character of the beachside suburb, 6km southeast of Melbourne’s CBD.
At the heart of residents’ concerns is a narrow laneway Storage King customers would use to access the facility, which also serves as the main vehicle entry for Europa on Alma residents and neighbouring homes. Port Phillip Council does not have the final say on whether the proposal proceeds, with VCAT to determine the outcome.
“The building in question has a commercial zoning because it is 180 St Kilda Road, but all of the commercial activity will happen off this little skinny lane, and everything off that lane is residential,” said Vanessa Lucas, chair of the residents’ committee at Europa on Alma.
“A 600-plus storage unit with vehicles going up and down a very narrow laneway will make it very difficult for elderly people here to be able to get out. If there’s an ambulance at the apartment building across the lane, sitting in the laneway, it’s very hard to get out.”
Ms Lucas said residents believe the proposed development is inappropriate for the site and would prefer to see the former radio studios converted into residential apartments to help address the housing shortage in the popular suburb.
