By Mikayla van Loon
As the largest development in the eastern suburbs, the Kinley estate has been waiting on one formality to move into the next phase of building.
After a five year battle the planning minister Richard Wynne confirmed the rezoning of the former Lilydale Quarry site to become a Comprehensive Development Zone (CDZ1) in late January.
Intrapac Property’s chief operating officer Maxwell Shifman said as developers, the company took a calculated risk in purchasing the site and the decision came as quite a relief.
“The rezoning is the precursor to actually being able to deliver the vast majority of the projects,” he said.
“We’ve been able to develop a small portion of the site, which was rezoned under a prior process some years ago but we weren’t able to continue with the vast majority until we hit this milestone.”
About halfway through filling the quarry, Mr Shifman said it would have been an expensive effort to then not get approval from the State government.
Having released, sold and built one section of the housing development, Mr Shifman said the rezoning means the Kinley Estate can move forward in opening up more housing lots and begin building the infrastructure required to cope with the population density.
“Up until now, we’ve had a lot of conceptual ideas that we’ve really been focusing on.
“So an open space network with a variety of different uses and spaces, a potential future train station, a neighbourhood centre and significant infrastructures that can be delivered as part of the site but none of that can actually be delivered without the zoning.”
Mr Shifman said although the rezoning doesn’t guarantee a train station will be approved by the State government over the next decade, it does contribute to getting there.
“It is incredibly unusual to have a site of this scale, with a train line running through the very middle of it on the Metro line, it would be a real lost opportunity, if we and the local council and government couldn’t really make use of that.
“We’re really trying to embrace those 20 minute neighbourhood principles. We think it’s incredibly important that people can access the things that they need on a daily basis without having to drive way up the road and having great access to public transport infrastructure is a key element of that.”
The next phase of the development will be to start applying for permits and more clearly outlining the specific inclusions in each of the four sections.
“So that’ll include a variety of different housing opportunities, different dwelling types, future open spaces, everything from small local pocket parks right through to a multi oval, district level, active open space area, wetlands, there is really quite a lot to offer,” Mr Shifman said.
Part of that now, Mr Shifman said, is being able to really celebrate the heritage of the site by focusing on the connection to David Mitchell and Dame Nellie Melba, as well as recognising Aboriginal culture.
“Lilydale itself has a really long history and is actually one of the first satellite suburbs, if you like, of Melbourne, and so we think it’s really important that we keep celebrating that.
“The quarry itself was not the reason that Lilydale exists, but it was one of the reasons Lilydale grew into the township that it ultimately became.”
