Garnaut told to change his plan | The Australian

Objectors told The Australian they believed Professor Garnaut had used his status to try to influence the local council's decision to build the second house and renovate the heritage-listed house already on the block.

In a letter to Yarra Council outlining his climate-change credentials, Professor Garnaut justifies not adopting the heritage traditions of the area by outlining the environmental sustainability of the home and features that make it better-suited to a changing climate.

VCAT member Rachel Naylor has ruled that the application did not meet all the council's standards and objectives for two houses on one block.

While she said the building could go ahead, she ordered that a boundary fence must be erected between the two dwellings and that screening be installed to limit overlooking of surrounding properties.

Yarra City Council had originally approved Professor Garnaut's development, despite its failure to meet all relevant residential code requirements.

One of the objectors, Joe Esposito, who owns the property next door, said yesterday the original application to Yarra City Council by Professor Garnaut "was tantamount to subdivision by stealth".