My Subdivision Diary

re: neighbours

hi evisional, great thread.

Personally I would talk to them if I could. I hear most neighbours complain/object because they have been left out of the process. I know it's silly, but if it saves you six months at VCAT, it's worth a shot.
 
evisional said:
The reasons for the Neighbour objections are as follows:

1. The area is over developed.

Councils are trying to increase density within suburbs, and adding a single dwelling to a 700+sqm lot isn't overdevelopment of your site

2. Lack of street parking for the area

Irrelevant, as long as you are providing enough parking for each dwelling on the site (i.e. 1 parking space for 2BR dwellings, 2 parking spaces for 3+BR dwellings)

3. Overloading of electricity, gas and water

If any assets will be overloaded as a result of this development (which I highly doubt) then they will be upgraded as part of the development process, in accordance with the conditions set out in the planning permit.

4. Garbage collection difficulty

An additional bin on the nature strip isn't going to impact on the neighbourhood at all!

5. Too many cars on the street, increasing the risk of accident to young children

One extra dwelling in a street will have virtually no impact on traffic levels
Click to expand...

None of those objector's reasons will hold up in VCAT for the reasons I've listed above in bold.


evisional said:
MY QUESTIONS

1. Should I talk to objectors before they appeal to VCAT?

2. How should I deal with them nicely
Click to expand...

It depends on timeframes really; what impact will an extra 6 month delay have on the project?

You could try to meet with them, but the nature of their objections seems to indicate that they simply don't want the development to happen, and for no valid reason. The objectors may not take it to VCAT; it's easy to write an objection to a planning permit, but when it comes to taking it to the next level it often gets too hard for most people.
 
Thanks CDD for your comments.

Did any one have experience with VCAT hearing? Can you give me advice?

In case objectors appeal to VCAT, to prepare ahead, should I use a town planner or a lawyer for hearing at VCAT?

Can you recommend me a town planner or lawyer who have experience with VCAT? phone numbers and any contact details would be appreciated.
 
evisional said:
--
I talked to a town planner in the Monash Council on 18 Jan and get advice that the Council give objectors 21 days to appeal to VTAC from 19 Jan. If they appeal to VCAT, VCAT will send letter to the Council. If they do not appeal, the Council will approve my town planning application.

The reasons for the Neighbour objections are as follows:

1. The area is over developed.
2. Lack of street parking for the area
3. Overloading of electricity, gas and water
4. Garbage collection difficulty
5. Too many cars on the street, increasing the risk of accident to young children

The objections come from 3 members in the same family. I find that their objections are quite unreasonable.


MY QUESTIONS

1. Should I talk to objectors before they appeal to VCAT?

2. How should I deal with them nicely
Click to expand...

If you have consent from council chances are you will win at VCAT. Those objections are either non-planning related or pissy ones which the councils recommendations would have covered in their report. Judging by the objections I doubt they will appeal. Still, if you do go to VCAT it will be a easy victory for you. Only drama is, VCAT waiting times are around the 6 month mark! :eek:
 
Not sure what the process is like down Melbourne. But if your development is generally compliant and ticks most boxes of the code in the local plan. Than it should be able to get approved even though you have objections.

Speak to a private town planner with experience and knowledge. This will probably be the best amount of money spent on your development. They know what codes to follow and where the boundaries can be pushed.
 
Thanks for following my subdivision diary.

30/4/2011:

Just get the stamped town plan, drainage and landscape approval from my draftman on last Saturday. Actually, the Council sent the all of these were sent to the draftman about 3-4 week ago but I did not have time to pick them up.

I have my working drawing, engineering drawing, soil test ready and get some quotes from builders:

Builder 1: intial quote: $350K. After negotiating, it dropped to $300K (not include front house's new garage)

Builder 2: quote $280K (include everything)

Builder 3: quote $300K not include driveway and may other things.

3/05/2011

Pay $2750 to my draftman to start subdivision process.

Situation

I plan to subdivide the land and sell the existing house then either sell the rear land with town planner or build the rear townhouse later. I do not too rush as the market condition is not good at the movement.

I have a strategy for this and will post the details to get your opinion later.

Questions
I am in Melboure SE suburb, which authorities should I contact to connect electricity, water, gas and drainage for the new townhouse?

Can I choose different authorities to connect to get cheap price or not?
 
Wow, that seems like a lot of money to build a rear unit. How big is it?

We had a quote in SE Qld last year to build a 4,2,2 house in brick and tile as a turnkey package (inc carpets, landscaping, blinds, air con etc) ... everything included for $195,000. Even if we allowed $15,000 for extras, it was still a good price.

$300,000, for build only ..... I suppose all 3 quotes were around the same figure, so you'd imagine it's in the ballpark, ... it just seems like a lot to me. I suppose if your building is going to be double story then that is where the cost is.

Mystery
 
Unfortunately, my house is custom build one, NOT the project house. Therefore, it costs a lot of money. I did not realise that the project house is much more cheaper. However, because I had the town plan approval already, I did not know if I can ask build to put the project house in rear land with the Council approval or not.

More information, building cost has grown up a lot. Someone told me she built her house upto $400K. My one may go up to the price if something is unexpectly incur at the middle of progress.
 
Summary of my plan:

Stage 1: Jun 2010 - May 2011 : Completed

Town planning approval
Working drawing
Engineering drawing
Survey
Landscape drawing
Drainage approval
Soil Test

Stage 2: May 2011 - Nov 2011 Started

- Subdivide the land prior building the rear unit
- Connect electricity, water, gas, sewage, stormwater etc.
- Bond $5000 each house
- Sign 173 Agreement- legal fees Approx $ 1800- 2500
- Landscaping & fence
- Renovate the existing
- Garage for existing house to be built
- Charges (Council fee $556, Titles Office $675) Can vary in future- approx
- Obtain Statement of Compliance for the existing house (unit 1)

- Sell the house and land with long settlement and subject to get the separate titles if possible.
-Get the quotes for building rear unit from builders

Stage 3 (Nov 2011 - Feb 2012)

Sell the existing house and get back $5000 bond
Sell the rear land with the permits if good price
get Building Permit

Stage 4: (Feb 2012 - Aug 2012)

Commence rear unit building if land is not sold.

Any comments would be very appreciated

Financial planning will be posted later.
 
comments

hi again

re:
Subdivide the land prior building the rear unit (I did that)

- Connect electricity, water, gas, sewage, stormwater etc.
(you don't have to connect all these, only stormwater (council), sewer (water co) and power (power co). gas & phone can be done later.

- Bond $5000 each house
(Bond for what?)

- Renovate the existing
(you make this sound like a simple thing, I just did mine, a lot of work!!)

- Garage for existing house to be built
(May not be worth it - just make a car space)

- Obtain Statement of Compliance for the existing house (unit 1)
(not sure what you mean, I got SOC from water co & power co when we set up connections (finished) sent to council so they would sign off on my subdivision permit.)

- Sell the house and land with long settlement and subject to get the separate titles if possible.
(I don't think you can sell it without separate title sorted)


JUST some thoughts...
see my blog for my journey on this exact kind of journey!
exhausting....

:)
 
I agree about the garage thing. I'm doing something similar and I'm also building a garage for the existing house.
It's $20,000 I really don't have to spend.I'm personally doing it to complete the whole package of the existing house and hopefully it's revaluation will reflect this work.
That said if you can avoid it. That might be a good move. It's your profit margin after all.
Cheers
Annietom said:
hi again

re:
Subdivide the land prior building the rear unit (I did that)

- Connect electricity, water, gas, sewage, stormwater etc.
(you don't have to connect all these, only stormwater (council), sewer (water co) and power (power co). gas & phone can be done later.

- Bond $5000 each house
(Bond for what?)

- Renovate the existing
(you make this sound like a simple thing, I just did mine, a lot of work!!)

- Garage for existing house to be built
(May not be worth it - just make a car space)

- Obtain Statement of Compliance for the existing house (unit 1)
(not sure what you mean, I got SOC from water co & power co when we set up connections (finished) sent to council so they would sign off on my subdivision permit.)

- Sell the house and land with long settlement and subject to get the separate titles if possible.
(I don't think you can sell it without separate title sorted)


JUST some thoughts...
see my blog for my journey on this exact kind of journey!
exhausting....

:)
Click to expand...
 
I have to build a garage and change some structure for existing house as required by the town planning permit.

Can someone refer a garage builder to me?

Do you have any idea to keep cost low?
 
Hi Annietom

I read your blog with enjoy. I know you hire trade man to do each job.

I just wonder if it save cost for hiring separate trade man i.e painter, plumber to do each job, or just hire a builder who manager all trade man and get discount for bulk job from builder?
 
To do list

I have attached the town planning and To-Do list to get Certificate of Compliance from Council before selling the front house.
 

Attachments

  • To Do List - Front House.pdf
    389.5 KB · Views: 220
  • RISDONeng1.pdf
    248.9 KB · Views: 208
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Steps following subdivision approval
Replies
0
Views
2K
serrz
S
M
$58K to start with and read on
2 3
Replies
59
Views
16K
mflying
M
Bud Fox
FHOG Boost - what will happen after 30 June 2009?
2 3
Replies
59
Views
5K
blaster
B
Jindaro
Development checklist
Replies
11
Views
3K
nicholas91
N
Ruby
The Player Interview
Replies
0
Views
11K
Ruby
Ruby
Back
Top