Recent Resident meetings

Report from Brunswick residents meeting,

Clarrie Wohlers Centre, 51 Albert Street Brunswick, Thursday 24 June 2010

Seventy Brunswick residents met to express their anger and concern over recent planning decisions by Moreland Council, at a meeting sparked by Council’s approval on 31 May of the Citimark 14-storey residential and shopping complex at 284-294 Albert Street (next to Safeway near Sydney Road).

Local resident Nic Maclellan explained that this was an extraordinary decision as:

• The decision was made council staff, instead of by elected councilors
• The plans include two levels of underground car parking, but Council signed off on a traffic plan which says that “the development has minimal impact on the adjacent road network,” and states that not one car leaving the building will travel east along Albert Street beyond Sydney Road at peak hour.
• Objectors to the same project in 2008 were not informed it had been re-submitted.
• Council says there is no right of appeal, due to existing planning overlays.
• There were over 50 objectors to the 2008 Citimark 14-storey project. The developers withdrew their application and just before Christmas 2009 re-submitted it as a new project. Council only notified adjacent properties (mostly shops), and did not formally notify previous objectors.

The meeting expressed anger that Council was failing to adequately consult with local residents on the transformation of the suburb, both about this project and a number of other developments under way or proposed, as old factories are converted into high-rise apartment and shopping towers:

Representatives from local groups reported from campaigns around other developments:

• Wendy Larcombe spoke of planning concerns and lack of consultation regarding the huge shopping and residential precinct planned for the Tontine site (bounded by Albert, John and Nicholson Streets); and reported on the nearby Sires site (in Albert Street, opposite Fleming Park), where Council has just rejected an application for a 7-story building;
• Joanna Stanley reported on concerns about the Tip Top site, with plans for a series of buildings from 3 to 10 storeys tall in an area bounded by Lygon, Edward and Weston Streets;
• Residents also spoke about a far larger site being redeveloped south of Tontine; about the Moore Street site in northern Brunswick; and Council’s failure to inform residents about a new power station near the Merri Creek.
• Previous campaigns have been fought over the 6-storey complex of apartments, townhouses and shops being built at 201-207 Albert Street; and the 11-storey apartment complex under construction in Lygon Street.

Main concerns raised by residents during the discussion

1) Concern that Moreland Council’s support for high density urban development had changed into support for high-rise. Decisions on each site are being taken in isolation with no planning for needs like traffic and transport, open space, environmental sustainability or community amenity. Council has failed to address the interconnection of all these projects.

2) Anger at the failure of all Councillors – ALP, Green and Independent – to bring the issue of the 14-storey complex before Council, delegating the decision to Council officers.

3) Lack of transparency by Councillors and Council staff. Failure of Council to consult affected residents for all these projects.

4) The long delay by Council and the ALP State government in finalising the Brunswick Structure Plan, which would set some standards over height limits, pedestrian and bike traffic etc.

5). Council’s willingness to approve developments contravening planning policies developed through extensive community consultation, including the Brunswick Structure Plan and the Integrated Transport Strategy. (For example, the “pedestrian-friendly corridor” plans for Albert and Victoria Street in the Structure Plan will be destroyed by these developments unless Council acts.)

6) The need for residents to develop their own vision of Moreland, Coburg and Brunswick, and campaign to ensure that Council listens to residents concerns

ACTION PROPOSED BY RESIDENTS AT THE MEETING

- petitions to Council and rallies outside Council meetings

- distributing an information leaflet and holding further meetings to update residents

- organising local neighbourhood campaigns for traffic calming

- political campaigns to highlight the failures of the State Government over planning law, public transport and sustainability

- calling on the Local Government Inspectorate to investigate the decision making process of Moreland Council, and the planning decision taken by Council staff

THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW

1 Talk to your neighbours

2 Write to Moreland Councillors, Council planning staff, local members of Parliament and ALP Planning Minister Justin Madden (a full list of addresses and contact details is attached)

3 Come along to ask questions and show your concern at Moreland Council meetings:

· Monday 12 July: special meeting to discuss budget

· Wednesdays 14 July and 11 August : regular monthly Council meetings (check times and locations at the council website:

www.moreland.vic.gov.au/about-council/council-and-committee-meetings.html)

4 Thursday 22 July: Come to the next Brunswick residents meeting

(details to follow)

MAILING LIST: To be added to our resident’s mailing list, please email: albertstreet2020@gmail.com

or contact Nic Maclellan on 0421 840 100. We will forward queries about specific sites, to representatives who were at the meeting

WEBSITE: For more information, especially about the Tip Top site, see brunswickresidentsunite.wordpress.com