Councillors approved the application during Tuesday night’s meeting with some amendments around vehicle access via an adjacent laneway.

Hotondo Homes made the application for the construction of two dwellings and a three-lot subdivision of the land at No. 1 Blackie Avenue, Ararat.

The two new stand-alone housing units, to be built behind the current residence on 1 Blackie Avenue, would each have four bedrooms with a garage and short driveway off the unnamed laneway. 

The lot is approximately 55 metres from the Barkly Street and one kilometre from the Ararat town centre and has a frontage of 27.4m along Blackie Avenue, a depth of 82.8m with an area of approximately 2273 square metres.

The lot abuts an unnamed laneway at the rear properties fronting Barkly Street West.

The subdivision would create new lots of about 650 square metres, avoiding extra scrutiny from councillors for lots of less than 500 square metres.

The application was forwarded to GWM Water, Powercor, Downer and Country Fire Authority who raised no objection subject to conditions.

A report to councillors stated the planning application was consistent with Ararat rural City’s planning objectives to support a diversity of housing options and overall housing affordability within the township.

Neighbouring owners attended Tuesday night’s meeting to voice their concerns about the application in person.

One owner said the subdivision and creation of two new housing lots would impact their quality of life, cause a loss of vegetation and vehicle access and create potential noise disturbances during construction.

"I feel people should be encouraged to develop on (vacant land) before seeking a subdivision like this," she said.

"We also have concerns about the valuation of our property and the difficulty of future sale."

The owner said they gained significant stress relief from being able to relax in their own backyard.

"If this proceeds, the uniqueness of this area of Ararat will be lost forever," she said.

Another owner gave deposition in addition to his prior objection to the planning application over "detrimental effects".

"This will be the catalyst for continued degradation of community spirit," he said.

"I'm not opposed to new development in Ararat, but there is enough vacant and undeveloped land in Ararat to meet current and future needs."

"You can't choose your neighbours, but you can choose the number of neighbours you have."

Cr Darren Ford moved to amend the motion to increase the lane wide from 5.5 to seven metres and increase the verges to create a nature strip.

Cr Ford said the subdivision was fairly standard.

"I think with the wider laneway, access will be improved. The nature strip may address some of the concerns,” he said.

"I am looking at this from the point of view of VCAT. I don't think VCAT would have a problem with that."

Cr David Pettman said 5.5 metres would be too thin for the laneway.

Cr Jo Armstrong asked about the cap on heights of boundary fences and was told in town it was generally 1.8m.

Deputy mayor Gwenda Allgood asked for the motion to be deferred over the amended conditions.

Ararat Rural City statutory planner Joel Hastings told councillors that the normal 60-day planning decision time-span had expired and the developer could take council to VCAT if the matter was deferred.

Cr Allgood said that it wasn't the fault of councillors as it was the first time the matter had come to the chamber.

The motion to grant the application with Cr Ford's amendments was then carried.