River building isn’t too high

Development set to get approval, with $565,000 parking payout to council

Written by STEVEN BURKE.

A FIVE storey office tower overlooking the Ovens River will be built in Faithfull Street, if Rural City of Wangaratta councillors follow the recommendations of council officers at a meeting in Wangaratta council chambers tomorrow night.

Council officers have recommended the Mick Lloyd development, to include four storeys of office space and a fifth floor restaurant, be approved, on the provision the developer meets 37 conditions.

An objection to the development was received by council, with Helen Curtis, Hannelore and Anthony Sheehan complaining the height of the building would not be in harmony with the landscape and surrounding buildings.

But council officers have dismissed the objection, after a conciliation meeting was held between council, the objectors, Mr Lloyd and the architect, Jeff Speiring.

The recommendation states the objection is not supported as, at 18 metres, the building will not be the tallest in Wangaratta, with the Wangaratta Government Centre topping the skyline at 21 metres.

"In a streetscape context, it can be viewed as complementing the existing structures," the report states.

"The proposed building stands at 18 metres, however, the fifth storey is set well back with the bulk of the building at four storeys (and a height of) 14.4 metres."

But while recommending an approval, the report pays particular attention to car parking spaces.

The current plan only includes provision for 25 parking spaces, leaving a discrepancy of 65 spaces below what council planning permits require for the site.

In lieu of these spaces, the developer will be required to pay council $8700 per space, for a total of $565,000.