News

CEO says social housing due diligence was done

By Darren Linton

Mar 15, 2022

Controversy: Shepparton ACE Secondary College has opposed development above the public car park next door. Photo by Megan Fisher

Greater Shepparton City Council chief executive Peter Harriott has defended the due diligence done on a proposed social housing development above a central business district car park.

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He was speaking in response to a public question at the March 15 meeting asking whether council had done its due diligence on the impact to neighbouring Shepparton ACE Secondary College given it was not mentioned in the officer’s report presented to the December 2021 meeting on the proposal or in a report commissioned from Ethos Urban.

The Ethos Urban report only listed medical facilities, retailers and restaurants as operating near the car park.

“Due diligence has been applied and that is continuing, including two days of submissions last week where a number of presenters presented in relation to the Ace College,” Mr Harriott said.

“The proposal considered by council relates to the sale or gifting of the airspace above the council car park at Nixon and Maude St, not a development application.”

Mr Harriott said simple plans included in the December agenda were only proof of concept and not part of any development application.

“High-level conceptual plans were referred to in the council report to demonstrate that an apartment development could be considered above the car park,” he said.

“Specific development plans for the site will continue to be developed as part of any design process and concept development will consider the relevant planning controls applying to the land, the zone of the land and will be design-responsive to the context of the site and take into consideration neighbouring properties.”