Mitcham High Rise Saga Continues
Fraser’s development company, Golden Ridge Investments, this week withdrew a council application, which would have extended the permit to build a 14-level, and eight-level tower on a vacant Colombo Street development site, near the Mitcham Station.
In October 2004, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal stunned the State Government, Whitehorse City Council, local residents and even the Catholic Church (which owns a site next door) by approving the project, citing the Melbourne 2030 policy which encourages development up, rather than out.
The project never got off the ground and it is speculated Brown now wants to sell the site. And a site with a permit, he thinks, will make it worth more.
Only time will tell whether Fraser was ahead of his time with his controversial proposal.
In an ironic twist, marketing has commenced for three high rise apartment towers in suburbia, including projects in Doncaster, Frankston and Northcote suggesting community acceptance is growing.
One industry expert who wished to remain anonymous said he expects the Mitcham site will still make way for a high rise apartment project, albeit on a smaller scale, than that proposed by Mr Brown.
The Whitehorse City Council says an application for any new proposal would need to be approved.
