Buying in Heathmont, Victoria - Time to get moving on my development dreams

[Savanna100]

Hi, I'd love some advice about my next buy. I've been a bit quiet on the forum lately as I was away in Sydney for about 5 months (working on contract) with limited internet access but I'm back.

I have an IP in Melbourne's eastern suburbs (Vermont) and plan to do an attached dual Occ there tis year. I's also like to purchase my next IP with a view to doing the same type of dual occ thng in 2011.
I have done some research and think that Heathmont may be the place to look at more closely. I'm a planner familiar with the rules in the ACT and NSW but Melbourne seems to allow a lot less on sites compared to what i am used to, even in rural NSW. Sites that you could get 4 town houses on in Queanbeyan would be only dual occs in Melbourne's east.

So, please feel to pass on any advice or experience about Heathmont and also what is the general feeling by Victorian Council about development, is a tough road to hoe or are they supportive?

(Sadly I live on a fabulous "8 townhouse-sized" site in Canberra but the Government here has land develoment completely stymied to allow only land 200 metres from shops for multi unit sites as they control all the greenfields land around Canberra and want to sell that rather than allow infill development. I have to look elsewhere to get my development dreams off the ground).

Thanks in anticipation

 

[Jonathon]

It's largely down to the individual council. For example, on an 800 m2 site in Camberwell, Boroondara council might let you put in 2 units, if you're lucky, but on the same sized site in Thornbury, Darebin council may well let you put on 4 units.

I'm afraid I can't comment on the councils further east, not sure what their attitudes are.

Cheers
Jonathon

 

[Savanna100]

Thanks, I appreciate that. I hear that VCAT has a much more realistic attitude to development than the Councils. Even though I've been a senior town planner for 15 years, I am still amazed at the anti development ehtos that is endemic in local government......I claim that I dont have it because I trained as an architect and didnt do a plannng degree where, I'm convinced, the students are trained in "Refusal 101"

I'm happy to hear heaps more about local govenrment intransigence....Ive just finished a stint on contract to the NSW state govt and their planning intrasigence is legendary too...the place runs on fear !!!

 

[yorkiefish]

hi savanha,
heathmont will be a good buy, very popular at the mo, but not as expensive as ringwood which is going crazy, there are a lot of minimum ofcan sub divide less than 800 sqr sites and also significant landscape overlay etc etc. i'm just trying to get one through yarra ranges and am now going to vcat as the planners are useless time wasters like you say "refusal 101" are you in the area?? what made you pick heathmont?? just out of curisoity.

i also have been keeping an eye on the market, not for me but my neighbour who has now bought, so not really watching it much, but mite be interested in a j.v if your up for that??

let me know your thoughts.

good luck.
wayne

p.s if there are any u want me to cast my eye over or do a drive by let me know as i'm just in croydon.

 

[propertyVIC]

land website

If you look up here http://services.land.vic.gov.au/landchannel/content/addressSearch

you can get the free planning report for any address.

 

[Savanna100]

yay !!! thanks for those responses. I followed up with an agent re a very large block on Canterbury Road but, to my surprise its unsubdividable as you need 1700 sqm and its 1673 sqm !!!!damn, you could put approx 8 town houses on that in the last local govt area I worked as a planner !!!!

I am looking in Heathmont as I grew up nearby in Vermont and have my family home as a IP there but I cant really afford the entry price there and i also think that Heathmont is a bit cheaper cos its not directly close to public transport etc but close to Eastlink.
PM me about a JV, I'd definitely be interested in talking to you about the possibility.

 

[Aazar]

planning laws in melbourne are quite strict. Lots and lots of red tape and annoying neighbours who would complain even if you erected a fence around your vacant block of land.

 

[Savanna100]

argh !!!! I am ashamed to say I'm a town planner sometimes....it doesnt have to be like this. I have fun helping applicant achieve their dreams and its always my bosses that give me the hard time, not my applicants !!!!

No wonder VCAT is so busy........

thanks for your comments so far everyone...

 

[eternit]

Hey Savanna,

I have a question for you as you are a town planner.

Suppose in Melbourne you have rural area within 30km of the CBD and acreage land is selling there very cheap compared to neighbouring suburbs since the land is zoned rural. Is there ways for people to find out through research how to get the zoning of that land changed to residential?

Thanks.

 

[Aazar]

you ask people to lobby John Brumby to rezone it for you

 

[Savanna100]

Hey Savanna,

I have a question for you as you are a town planner.

Suppose in Melbourne you have rural area within 30km of the CBD and acreage land is selling there very cheap compared to neighbouring suburbs since the land is zoned rural. Is there ways for people to find out through research how to get the zoning of that land changed to residential?

Thanks.

hehe, what Aazar said !!!!

Seriously, you need to investigate a "spot rezoning"...notoriously hard to achieve, I've never done one because in NSW they have been basically banned for the last 5 years whilst a major overhaul of the whole planning system has been undertaken.
The trick is to convince the Council that a rezoning is appropriate and the new use is compatible. Also, if Vic is anything like NSW, rezoning of agricultural land is frowned upon.
I have watched the rezoning of farmland up here outside Canberra to form a whole new town outside Queanbeyan and it has taken a major development company million$ to try to get it going. However, rezoning greenfields sites for residential is THE most lucrative thing you can do generally.... The ACT government is the only greenfields landseller up here and they have a monopoly, they even severely limit general infill development in the established suburbs to ensure this monopoly.

Anyway, my advice to you is to get a good quality Victorian town planner to advise you, someone familiar with the Council area you want the rezoning done in.
Good luck

 

[yorkiefish]

yay !!! thanks for those responses. I followed up with an agent re a very large block on Canterbury Road but, to my surprise its unsubdividable as you need 1700 sqm and its 1673 sqm !!!!damn, you could put approx 8 town houses on that in the last local govt area I worked as a planner !!!!

I am looking in Heathmont as I grew up nearby in Vermont and have my family home as a IP there but I cant really afford the entry price there and i also think that Heathmont is a bit cheaper cos its not directly close to public transport etc but close to Eastlink.
PM me about a JV, I'd definitely be interested in talking to you about the possibility.

hi savanna, would be good to catch up for a coffee and go over options etc, i can be contacted via [email protected] or 0411331225.
speak soon.
thanks yorkie

 

[Savanna100]

Hi Yorkie, I'd like that.

Also, I spoke to a Ringwood RE agent today about finding me somthing in the Mooroondah LGA and he seems keen a capable. I also intend to search for sites myself but I want extra input. This young REA develops in South Australia so he might actually "talk the same language".
I'll keep you all posted.

 

[yorkiefish]

hi savanna, i will keep my ear to the ground as well.

talk soon.
yorkie

 

[MTR]

Hi, I'd love some advice about my next buy. I've been a bit quiet on the forum lately as I was away in Sydney for about 5 months (working on contract) with limited internet access but I'm back.

I have an IP in Melbourne's eastern suburbs (Vermont) and plan to do an attached dual Occ there tis year. I's also like to purchase my next IP with a view to doing the same type of dual occ thng in 2011.
I have done some research and think that Heathmont may be the place to look at more closely. I'm a planner familiar with the rules in the ACT and NSW but Melbourne seems to allow a lot less on sites compared to what i am used to, even in rural NSW. Sites that you could get 4 town houses on in Queanbeyan would be only dual occs in Melbourne's east.

So, please feel to pass on any advice or experience about Heathmont and also what is the general feeling by Victorian Council about development, is a tough road to hoe or are they supportive?

(Sadly I live on a fabulous "8 townhouse-sized" site in Canberra but the Government here has land develoment completely stymied to allow only land 200 metres from shops for multi unit sites as they control all the greenfields land around Canberra and want to sell that rather than allow infill development. I have to look elsewhere to get my development dreams off the ground).

Hi Savanna

Enjoy reading your post.

I am currently putting together permits and plans for 8 unit site in Broadmeadows, its early days but I am told Hume Council is quite easy to deal with. Time will tell.

I am also looking at other developments sites in Melb unfortunately where I am looking is getting quite expensive.

Cheers, MTR

 

[undercover]

I used to work at Maroondah City Council as a town planning compliance officer so I picked up lots of handy hints and the inside view of what the team there "likes" and "dislikes" as they say. I also have 2 IP's in Ringwood and one of the main reason I took this job was to learn the in's and outs of town planning to benifit my property investment future (I also enjoyed the job).

I still speak to many of the planners there and can always offer some advice or give you the 'vibe' I felt whilst working there.

 

[Savanna100]

Sorry, its taken me a while to respond to the two last posts. MTR, definitely let me know how your Hume LGA development goes.....I can never get enough info about development

Undercover, thanks for the info offer, I would like that very much. I would love to come to Melbourne again and work as a planner but I will be here in Canberra for a while yet. Two good jobs were going at Whitehorse Council this week which I would have loved going for but it seems we cant make the move quite yet.
Are you still working as a planner?