Car park to ‘deck’ out office complex

By Paul Dunlop
AN office and shop complex coming soon to Pakenham is a glimpse of the future, civic leaders say.
Cardinia Shire Council last week gave the green light to a development that will include the town’s first ever ‘deck’ carpark.
The proposal is for land on the corner of John and James streets, near the heart of the town’s business centre.
Nine shops and seven offices will be built on the former veterinarian surgery site, in a double-storey development to feature car parking on both levels.
Councillor Brett Owen led approval for the application lodged by Cornetta Partners Architects on behalf of an unidentified developer.
Cr Owen said the proposal’s car parking plans were a sign of things to come.
“This will see a deck car park in Pakenham, we haven’t seen this before,” Cr Owen said.
“Pakenham Place shopping centre is likely to see deck car parking in the future, it’s definitely coming to Pakenham; we are likely to see more of it.”
Councillors’ vote supporting the development was unanimous.
Their stance was a stark contrast to earlier claims the proposal was more about developer ‘greed’ than the good of the community.
Last year, the council rejected the application because of what they said was a chronic lack of car space.
The Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal upheld the council’s position after it went to appeal.
The original application sought to provide 37 car parking spaces – 28 fewer than town planners said was necessary for the development which has a total floor area of more than 1700 square metres.
Cr Owen said little else had changed about the proposal when it returned to the council at its town planning meeting last Monday, but car parking was significantly improved.
A total of 57 car parking spaces will be provided under the proposal, which remains one fewer than the council’s own guidelines.
Councillors believed this was an acceptable compromise.
Cr Owen said the outcome showed the council was listening to the community.
Councillors Ed Chatwin and Bill Ronald both said they hoped the outcome would put developers on notice.
“It is important for developers to understand if they are going to put up money-making operations where they get most of the profit they need to make sure car parking is adequate,” Cr Chatwin said.
Cr Ronald said the council’s attitude towards carparking had significantly changed in recent times.
“I’ve been very strong on this since I’ve been on the council and I’ve been proven totally accurate and right,” he said.
“This council will not tolerate expediency in getting developments up and running at the expense of community in terms of car parking.”