Councillor Collin Ross said the 11 single-storey unit development in Sandalwood Drive passed every restriction possible set down by the council.

He said a planning permit refusal would undoubtedly be overturned if the matter was to go to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

"There is no way we could object to it - if the developer took it to the VCAT we would be a laughing stock.

"If we start knocking back three-bedroom double garage properties on 400 square metres then we might as well say we'll have no units in Cardinia Shire."

Cr George Blenkhorn agreed that the development was "a quality one" and if heard at VCAT, the council would have no chance of stopping it.

But Central Ward councillor Brett Owen, the only one to vote against the permit at a planning meeting last Monday , said the development was out of character with the neighbourhood. "The objectors believed

that the vast majority of properties in this estate are single dwelling sites and this [multi-unit development] is totally inappropriate.

"We are doing structure plans for other estates, so why can't we nominate during the planning stage that an area will include a multi-unit development?"

There were 36 objections to the development.

Many of them cited a potential impact on neighbourhood character, privacy, security, traffic and covenant restrictions.