Livingstone Shire Council votes to uphold the village character of Emu Park

Plans for a medium-rise unit and commercial complex in Emu Park have been refused by Livingstone Shire Council today.

Elnabor Pty Ltd lodged an application with Council in October last year for the development on the corner of Pattison and Granville Streets.

195 public submissions were lodged in response to the proposal.

Following public consultation and in response to further advice, the proponent revised plans which included reducing the height of the building from seven storeys to six, the number of units from 49 to 42, the roofline and overall appearance.

Councillors voted against this revised development at the ordinary meeting this morning, with four against and two in support of the proposal.

Councillor Nigel Hutton, portfolio holder of Planning and Strategic Infrastructure, said the proposal, while of a very high standard, didn’t meet community expectations for the local centre precinct of Emu Park town centre.

“Livingstone is a shire of unique communities, each with their own character and aspirations. Our shire is growing, and we know there’s a need to balance the needs of our communities’ population growth with maintaining the liveability that attracts and makes this place special,” Cr Hutton said.

“Our Town Plan identifies Emu Park as a local centre. A local centre has characteristics that are very different to what we would expect in a major centre. Undoubtedly, in the debate today, it was about height, town character and community expectations.

"Many of the submissions against the project objected to the height, but almost every submission spoke about the need to protect the character and the village feel of Emu Park. We know that to protect Emu Park, while growing, is going to be a challenge.

“The opportunity to check in with the community through public submissions has allowed Council to test the values of Emu Park and confirmed that development must be tempered by the village’s character. Council thanks the proponents, the submitters and the community for their engagement in this process.”