Residents around the site of a proposed new 100-room hotel opposite the Richmond Town Hall have formed a group to oppose the plan, with 58 objections lodged so far with Yarra City Council.
The Hands off Hosie group, issued a press release on Friday drawing attention to their objections to the $16.25 million six-storey project, which would rely for all access on a network of narrow streets to the rear of the building - Hosie St, Abinger St and bluestone laneway Spencer Place.
The development application for the hotel at 300-306 Bridge Rd, lodged by by East Kew-registered company HLL Development, covers the sites that currently house a Chemist Warehouse, the No.ThreeOFour Bottleshop and Al Nawab restaurant.
Hands off Hosie convener Sally Gatenby said the group disputed the developers' overshadowing analysis and traffic report. She also said the building's construction would not meet planning requirements for a transition from heritage buildings to high, modern ones.
Councillors met with the residents for a second time on the weekend to discuss the application, which is still being considered by council officers.
Meanwhile, another Bridge Rd development relying on rear lane access looks likely to go to VCAT after it was approved with conditions by Yarra's Planning Decisions Committee last week.
The application for an eight-storey co-working office building on the north-west corner of Bridge Rd and Coppin St had attracted 64 objections, and several people spoke at last Tuesday's committee meeting to request a reduction in the building's 28.4m height and the relocation of its users' access from the rear lane to Coppin St.
The committee approved the 393 Bridge Rd project, on the site currently occupied by Sixt car hire company, with a reduction by two storeys and modifications to provide more space for vehicles to pull over from the laneway.
Coppin St resident Megan Arnott said afterwards that for the new building to rely on the very narrow rear laneway for access was "just not acceptable" and she thought objectors were likely to take the matter to the tribunal.
Another controversial office building proposal, at 525 Church and 1-7 Kingston streets, was approved by the committee with conditions.
The conditions, aimed at addressing the concerns of the 82 objectors to the project, include the deletion of three storeys from the 12-storey design of the mixed-use building.
The council would defend its revised position on the project at VCAT, where the application is already headed due to Yarra's failure to determine the matter within the prescribed time, a council officer said.
