Friday, November 2, 2007
The Liveability Coaltion Meeting Outcomes
Motion passed unanimously at a Public Meeting on Sunday 28 October, 2007,
at the Good Shepherd Hall, Wheelers Hill, by some 150 residents of the City of Monash.
That this meeting endorses the commitment to liveability expressed by the State Government and the Monash City Council, but regrets that these commitments are not being carried into practice.
This meeting calls on the Monash City Council and the State Government to commit to a policy and practice of
1. matching growth under Melbourne 2030 with a concomitant increase in infrastructure, public open space and facilities
2. reserving adequate space and facilities to meet the needs of local communities (as expressed by those communities) where public land (such as school land) is sold for development
3. requiring every new development project to prepare, as part of the process of planning and consultation, a liveability impact statement assessing the impact of the proposal upon local communities in term of concentration of population, density of housing, traffic congestion, green ambience, open space, public amenities, community health and environmental considerations. This liveability impact statement to go to all affected communities for discussion and response.
Marian Quartly
Chairperson (on behalf of the Monash Liveability Coalition)
"if your car fell out of action for a week or more ...could you meet most of the essentials of your day.."
From a recent talk on ABC Radio National
A recent international urban design conference on the Gold Coast highlighted three major areas of change that our cities and towns are facing.
Firstly, the climate change as a phenomenon is already abundantly clear, whether induced by human actions or is part of a natural cycle.
Secondly, the sources and security of energy which is absolutely vital to the way people live are certainly likely to change. The changes will be triggered either by our endeavours to manage the drivers of climate change, our CO2 emissions; the depletion of supply of liquid hydrocarbon fuels and their consequent higher prices or both.
Thirdly, an increasing number of the Australian population will be the older generation. We are likely to be living longer and there is already a clear trend that our households are predominantly of ones and two's rather than families of three's or more (while ironically occupying more domestic space per person). All this awaits us in the next 10 to 20 years - a very short time in the life of cities.
Cities have had to deal with changing conditions in the past. However, few changes in history have approached them at the rate they are advancing upon us now. Yet, we have chosen to ignore these realities like symptoms of a nasty disease. We have entered a state of denial. We are making furtive and superficial provisions for the changing future such as minor gestures towards public transport, planting some trees to offset carbon emissions and optionally installing a few water tanks. However, this is largely equivalent to taking the foot off the accelerator while our brakeless car hurtles towards the cliff.
Let us be optimistic that the future will offer some redeeming options. But should even an optimist not have a PLAN B? At the moment we are relying on faith alone that somehow everything will turn out right. However, retrofitting cities and towns is usually an immensely expensive and often impossible business. To say that we will fix it when the day comes is an option we will all regret. We need to revise our thinking about cities and towns NOW!
As we face the challenging future, the most fundamental of mindset shifts is to realise that cities and towns are not merely a stock of real estate, built property as a type of asset or capital, all held together with engineering infrastructure and transport arteries. It is all those things but primarily it is the stage setting of life for most of us. It is the background 'scenery' and props against and around which we participate in social and cultural interactions, live out our mortal existence, seek happiness and fulfilment.
We often complain about inconveniences, lack of amenities and opportunities or blame the authorities for creating places and conditions that we would rather not have. The only way we will be able to collectively respond to climate change, energy issues or our new social structures is to realise that WE ourselves are largely the problem as well as the major part of the solution.
As a new measure of urban quality and planning objective, I suggest that every part of a city or town be evaluated thus: if your car fell out of action for a week or more or you were unable to drive for an extended period, could you meet most of the essentials of your daily, weekly or seasonal needs by walking, cycling or using public transport (which includes taxis)? This is not to imply that we should forgo all means of private transport. However, this test would transform the paradigm of scale and thinking about cities and towns.
Our most eminent social researcher Hugh Mackay, writing in 'Advance Australia Where?' says "If we ultimately had to choose between material prosperity and survival, which way do you think we would jump? If we know the answer, why not act now, so we never have to face that choice." That is exactly the type of choice that confronts our towns and cities right now. Unless we adopt a different mind set about them, we will not only be creating an uncomfortable future for ourselves but leaving a difficult legacy for our children and grandchildren. Is that really what we want?
If we are to effectively deal with climate change, energy security and cost as well as demographic adjustments, we need to rethink the way we make, use and live in cities and towns - and we need to do it NOW.
by Jursi Greste
Urban designer with an architectural background and over 50 years of professional experience as a consultant.
A recent international urban design conference on the Gold Coast highlighted three major areas of change that our cities and towns are facing.
Firstly, the climate change as a phenomenon is already abundantly clear, whether induced by human actions or is part of a natural cycle.
Secondly, the sources and security of energy which is absolutely vital to the way people live are certainly likely to change. The changes will be triggered either by our endeavours to manage the drivers of climate change, our CO2 emissions; the depletion of supply of liquid hydrocarbon fuels and their consequent higher prices or both.
Thirdly, an increasing number of the Australian population will be the older generation. We are likely to be living longer and there is already a clear trend that our households are predominantly of ones and two's rather than families of three's or more (while ironically occupying more domestic space per person). All this awaits us in the next 10 to 20 years - a very short time in the life of cities.
Cities have had to deal with changing conditions in the past. However, few changes in history have approached them at the rate they are advancing upon us now. Yet, we have chosen to ignore these realities like symptoms of a nasty disease. We have entered a state of denial. We are making furtive and superficial provisions for the changing future such as minor gestures towards public transport, planting some trees to offset carbon emissions and optionally installing a few water tanks. However, this is largely equivalent to taking the foot off the accelerator while our brakeless car hurtles towards the cliff.
Let us be optimistic that the future will offer some redeeming options. But should even an optimist not have a PLAN B? At the moment we are relying on faith alone that somehow everything will turn out right. However, retrofitting cities and towns is usually an immensely expensive and often impossible business. To say that we will fix it when the day comes is an option we will all regret. We need to revise our thinking about cities and towns NOW!
As we face the challenging future, the most fundamental of mindset shifts is to realise that cities and towns are not merely a stock of real estate, built property as a type of asset or capital, all held together with engineering infrastructure and transport arteries. It is all those things but primarily it is the stage setting of life for most of us. It is the background 'scenery' and props against and around which we participate in social and cultural interactions, live out our mortal existence, seek happiness and fulfilment.
We often complain about inconveniences, lack of amenities and opportunities or blame the authorities for creating places and conditions that we would rather not have. The only way we will be able to collectively respond to climate change, energy issues or our new social structures is to realise that WE ourselves are largely the problem as well as the major part of the solution.
As a new measure of urban quality and planning objective, I suggest that every part of a city or town be evaluated thus: if your car fell out of action for a week or more or you were unable to drive for an extended period, could you meet most of the essentials of your daily, weekly or seasonal needs by walking, cycling or using public transport (which includes taxis)? This is not to imply that we should forgo all means of private transport. However, this test would transform the paradigm of scale and thinking about cities and towns.
Our most eminent social researcher Hugh Mackay, writing in 'Advance Australia Where?' says "If we ultimately had to choose between material prosperity and survival, which way do you think we would jump? If we know the answer, why not act now, so we never have to face that choice." That is exactly the type of choice that confronts our towns and cities right now. Unless we adopt a different mind set about them, we will not only be creating an uncomfortable future for ourselves but leaving a difficult legacy for our children and grandchildren. Is that really what we want?
If we are to effectively deal with climate change, energy security and cost as well as demographic adjustments, we need to rethink the way we make, use and live in cities and towns - and we need to do it NOW.
by Jursi Greste
Urban designer with an architectural background and over 50 years of professional experience as a consultant.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
The Liveability Meeting on Sunday Oct 28th
MONASH LIVEABILITY COALITION
Representing Community Groups in the area of Monash Council
The Monash Liveability Coalition is supported by Monash groups and residents including the Notting Hill Community Association, Brandon Park Residents Action Group, and Wheelers Hill Residents Action Group
MEDIA RELEASE
7 Oct 2007
CHANGE IN MONASH – NEW LIVEABILITY COALITION WANTS TO INFORM RESIDENTS
KEEPING MONASH LIVEABLE - SPACES AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE
Residents groups, community associations, theatre and sporting groups from various suburbs affected by the lack of public space within the City of Monash are to come together to draw urgent attention to the ongoing threats currently to future liveability in the Monash area.
The groups have combined under the banner of the Monash Liveability Coalition to explore the future liveability of their areas at a public meeting at 3.30 pm on Sunday 28th October at the Good Shepherd Curch Hall on Academy Avenue at Wheelers Hill (located behind the Brandon Park Shopping Centre).
The meeting will run from 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm on the Sunday afternoon.
Coordinator for the meeting, Vincent Leveridge, said the meeting was to allow local residents and groups to be informed on the latest information and research findings on change in the area.
Experts and researchers on planning and development in Melbourne will address the meeting on how these changes are damaging liveability in Monash.
“This will focus on the effect of planning and development outcomes on public land sales, increasing housing and population density, employment centres, and more crowded transport and how this will impact on health and liveability for residents,” he said.
“The Monash area is losing what little public land it has very quickly. This includes the sell off of the area’s schools for medium and high density housing, loss of open recreational space and overwhelming increases in employment related traffic into Monash.
“The meeting will be of interest to those who want to keep Monash liveable and ensure that there are spaces and places for people in the changing urban landscape,” he said.
The meeting will hear from Dr Bob Birrell. Dr Birrell is the Director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research and Reader in Sociology at Monash University. He is well known for his work on planning and development in the suburbs of Melbourne, the size of increasing population densities, and its effects.
Professor Kevin O’Connor from Urban Planning at Melbourne University will speak on urban planning issues stemming from rapid population and employment growth. This includes the new patterns of employment and industry that are emerging in the suburbs, particularly in Monash.
Our health is also being damaged by the rush to build without thought of the longer term consequences such as obesity and illness.
Rachel Carlisle from the Heart Foundation will speak on the importance of physical and environmental design on promoting health.
Mr Leveridge said that it was part of residents’ plans to bring their concerns about the harmful effects of developmental change on the lives of Monash residents to a wider audience under the umbrella of keeping Monash liveable.
“While many groups and individuals in Monash are concerned about loss of public space and increasing density they rarely get the opportunity to hear about the larger picture of urban change and its effects. The meeting will provide information on the latest research about how development is changing the suburbs and alert people what can be lost.”
“We see the meeting as means of informing people of the common concerns that neighbourhoods share across Monash”, said the spokesman for the Monash Liveability Coalition.
Representing Community Groups in the area of Monash Council
The Monash Liveability Coalition is supported by Monash groups and residents including the Notting Hill Community Association, Brandon Park Residents Action Group, and Wheelers Hill Residents Action Group
MEDIA RELEASE
7 Oct 2007
CHANGE IN MONASH – NEW LIVEABILITY COALITION WANTS TO INFORM RESIDENTS
KEEPING MONASH LIVEABLE - SPACES AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE
Residents groups, community associations, theatre and sporting groups from various suburbs affected by the lack of public space within the City of Monash are to come together to draw urgent attention to the ongoing threats currently to future liveability in the Monash area.
The groups have combined under the banner of the Monash Liveability Coalition to explore the future liveability of their areas at a public meeting at 3.30 pm on Sunday 28th October at the Good Shepherd Curch Hall on Academy Avenue at Wheelers Hill (located behind the Brandon Park Shopping Centre).
The meeting will run from 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm on the Sunday afternoon.
Coordinator for the meeting, Vincent Leveridge, said the meeting was to allow local residents and groups to be informed on the latest information and research findings on change in the area.
Experts and researchers on planning and development in Melbourne will address the meeting on how these changes are damaging liveability in Monash.
“This will focus on the effect of planning and development outcomes on public land sales, increasing housing and population density, employment centres, and more crowded transport and how this will impact on health and liveability for residents,” he said.
“The Monash area is losing what little public land it has very quickly. This includes the sell off of the area’s schools for medium and high density housing, loss of open recreational space and overwhelming increases in employment related traffic into Monash.
“The meeting will be of interest to those who want to keep Monash liveable and ensure that there are spaces and places for people in the changing urban landscape,” he said.
The meeting will hear from Dr Bob Birrell. Dr Birrell is the Director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research and Reader in Sociology at Monash University. He is well known for his work on planning and development in the suburbs of Melbourne, the size of increasing population densities, and its effects.
Professor Kevin O’Connor from Urban Planning at Melbourne University will speak on urban planning issues stemming from rapid population and employment growth. This includes the new patterns of employment and industry that are emerging in the suburbs, particularly in Monash.
Our health is also being damaged by the rush to build without thought of the longer term consequences such as obesity and illness.
Rachel Carlisle from the Heart Foundation will speak on the importance of physical and environmental design on promoting health.
Mr Leveridge said that it was part of residents’ plans to bring their concerns about the harmful effects of developmental change on the lives of Monash residents to a wider audience under the umbrella of keeping Monash liveable.
“While many groups and individuals in Monash are concerned about loss of public space and increasing density they rarely get the opportunity to hear about the larger picture of urban change and its effects. The meeting will provide information on the latest research about how development is changing the suburbs and alert people what can be lost.”
“We see the meeting as means of informing people of the common concerns that neighbourhoods share across Monash”, said the spokesman for the Monash Liveability Coalition.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Our Lantern Festival
Saturday evening was Lantern Festival in Notty
Families turned in numbers for the first Neighbourhood House Lantern Festival organised by Joe, who has celebrated the festival previously just in Tulip Court.
The Neighbourhood made an ideal venue and more than 60 children and adults walked in procession around the streets with their glowing handmade lanterns and torches.
Next year even bigger - thanks Joe and family and all who helped make the lanterns last weekend.
And Mel lights up too
Families turned in numbers for the first Neighbourhood House Lantern Festival organised by Joe, who has celebrated the festival previously just in Tulip Court.
The Neighbourhood made an ideal venue and more than 60 children and adults walked in procession around the streets with their glowing handmade lanterns and torches.
Next year even bigger - thanks Joe and family and all who helped make the lanterns last weekend.
And Mel lights up too
Friday, August 24, 2007
The Notting Hill Story
The following are the notes on a short speech made recently on behalf of Notting Hill residents to a meeting of community groups with the Minister for Planning Justin Madden.
Notting Hill is one of the smaller suburbs of Melbourne situated in the Monash City Council area. The residential part of the suburb is near the Clayton Monash University campus. It is often confused with Clayton.
The suburb includes a distinct residential area of 700 dwellings. This distinct area of housing and streets is encircled or surrounded by major traffic arteries on three sides. The residential estate is bounded by Blackburn Road, Ferntree Gully Road and the Monash Motorway. These are among the largest multi land traffic arteries in Melbourne.
The suburb has only two entry and exit streets and cannot be exited without crossing or entering the six lanes of Blackburn Road or Ferntree Gully Road.
On the other edge of the suburb is an industrial area and the rapidly expanding Monash science park/business park (along Blackburn Road and including the new Australian Synchrotron). This is a major area of expanding employment - the result of planned structural change.
The development of the Notting Hill suburb is also perhaps unique. The residential estate was built in the 1950’s and 1960’s by A V Jennings as the first planned suburb in Melbourne. It was planned in the sense that shops and schools were within walking distance without crossing major roads, and traffic flow was limited.
Unfortunately when finished the “planned” suburb failed to include any parkland or open recreational space for residents.
As the suburb filled up a primary school and a secondary college were built along with a kindergarten/preschool. (Monash Primary School, Monash Secondary College and Westerfield Pre School)
The playgrounds and an oval of these schools became the recreational spaces of residents as well as their children.
In recent years the community has lost its kindergarten/preschool, primary school and secondary school (the primary school in 2004 and the secondary college in 2006). On 7 August the Monash Council agreed to rezone the Monash Primary School and its open space for high-density housing.
The school closures were justified in terms of declining school attendance numbers and an aging population despite vigorous objection from local residents that the demographics in the suburb were changing quickly again to young families. Now as the Government moves to cash in on the land value of the school the Education Department is still attempting to justify its decision by using the same population figures that are a decade old and were disputed even then.
In 2007 residents conducted their own survey of households in Notting Hill and accessed the latest census data. This research demonstrated an increasing number of children of school age in need of a school and a turnover in occupancy in the suburb with more families moving in. An increasing density of residential use was also noted with suburban in fill and unit development.
The result has also been an increase in car travel as children are driven daily to schools several kilometres way.
The Monash Secondary College faces the same fate as the Primary School. It has been declared surplus to requirements and is being allowed to decay into dereliction. This includes a theatre built at the Secondary College by community support and public fund raising. The local cricket club has been banned from using the school oval for the local cricket competition.
The kindergarten (a Monash Council venture) was last used as pre school in May 2007 and is now a Neighbourhood Centre supported by Monash Council.
This has all occurred while:
• Occupancy change and suburban infill has lead to increased population density in Notting Hill and increased number of children of school age.
• Increasing congestion of the highways that grid-in Notting Hill
• Forced increase in car use out of Notting Hill as children are transported out for schooling
• Loss of publicly owned spaces used for recreation by a community with no dedicated parks or recreational areas
• From the edge of the Notting Hill housing area high-density accommodation is encroaching into the suburb. Several hundred units have been built by private developers between the suburban streets and Blackburn Road as part of a speculation into the market for accommodation for overseas tertiary students. This is to be the ultimate fate of the land where the Monash Primary School used to provide its public services.
• Transport and other amenities are to be put under further pressure by a massive increase in employment in the business park area adjoining Notting Hill. Recently Telstra announced it was moving 4000 employees into this area. Until the loss of state government services these employees could have walked from their place of work to a pre-school, a primary school and a secondary college.
It is clear that liveability in Notting Hill is secondary to short-term speculative development.
The disappointing aspect is that the State Government is in no way neutral but a participant and beneficiary of this sale of public amenities.
This loss of public space will never be rectified.
Notting Hill is one of the smaller suburbs of Melbourne situated in the Monash City Council area. The residential part of the suburb is near the Clayton Monash University campus. It is often confused with Clayton.
The suburb includes a distinct residential area of 700 dwellings. This distinct area of housing and streets is encircled or surrounded by major traffic arteries on three sides. The residential estate is bounded by Blackburn Road, Ferntree Gully Road and the Monash Motorway. These are among the largest multi land traffic arteries in Melbourne.
The suburb has only two entry and exit streets and cannot be exited without crossing or entering the six lanes of Blackburn Road or Ferntree Gully Road.
On the other edge of the suburb is an industrial area and the rapidly expanding Monash science park/business park (along Blackburn Road and including the new Australian Synchrotron). This is a major area of expanding employment - the result of planned structural change.
The development of the Notting Hill suburb is also perhaps unique. The residential estate was built in the 1950’s and 1960’s by A V Jennings as the first planned suburb in Melbourne. It was planned in the sense that shops and schools were within walking distance without crossing major roads, and traffic flow was limited.
Unfortunately when finished the “planned” suburb failed to include any parkland or open recreational space for residents.
As the suburb filled up a primary school and a secondary college were built along with a kindergarten/preschool. (Monash Primary School, Monash Secondary College and Westerfield Pre School)
The playgrounds and an oval of these schools became the recreational spaces of residents as well as their children.
In recent years the community has lost its kindergarten/preschool, primary school and secondary school (the primary school in 2004 and the secondary college in 2006). On 7 August the Monash Council agreed to rezone the Monash Primary School and its open space for high-density housing.
The school closures were justified in terms of declining school attendance numbers and an aging population despite vigorous objection from local residents that the demographics in the suburb were changing quickly again to young families. Now as the Government moves to cash in on the land value of the school the Education Department is still attempting to justify its decision by using the same population figures that are a decade old and were disputed even then.
In 2007 residents conducted their own survey of households in Notting Hill and accessed the latest census data. This research demonstrated an increasing number of children of school age in need of a school and a turnover in occupancy in the suburb with more families moving in. An increasing density of residential use was also noted with suburban in fill and unit development.
The result has also been an increase in car travel as children are driven daily to schools several kilometres way.
The Monash Secondary College faces the same fate as the Primary School. It has been declared surplus to requirements and is being allowed to decay into dereliction. This includes a theatre built at the Secondary College by community support and public fund raising. The local cricket club has been banned from using the school oval for the local cricket competition.
The kindergarten (a Monash Council venture) was last used as pre school in May 2007 and is now a Neighbourhood Centre supported by Monash Council.
This has all occurred while:
• Occupancy change and suburban infill has lead to increased population density in Notting Hill and increased number of children of school age.
• Increasing congestion of the highways that grid-in Notting Hill
• Forced increase in car use out of Notting Hill as children are transported out for schooling
• Loss of publicly owned spaces used for recreation by a community with no dedicated parks or recreational areas
• From the edge of the Notting Hill housing area high-density accommodation is encroaching into the suburb. Several hundred units have been built by private developers between the suburban streets and Blackburn Road as part of a speculation into the market for accommodation for overseas tertiary students. This is to be the ultimate fate of the land where the Monash Primary School used to provide its public services.
• Transport and other amenities are to be put under further pressure by a massive increase in employment in the business park area adjoining Notting Hill. Recently Telstra announced it was moving 4000 employees into this area. Until the loss of state government services these employees could have walked from their place of work to a pre-school, a primary school and a secondary college.
It is clear that liveability in Notting Hill is secondary to short-term speculative development.
The disappointing aspect is that the State Government is in no way neutral but a participant and beneficiary of this sale of public amenities.
This loss of public space will never be rectified.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Some Times We Are Not Alone - There Maybe No Escaping Development
Sometimes we forget we are not alone in the current period of rampant development. Far down the coast to the East another community battle is blazing.
Bastion Point is located in Mallacoota, the most easterly coastal township in Victoria. An icon on Victoria’s Wilderness Coast, Bastion Point is part of an outstanding natural environment. Immediately to its north is the entrance to Mallacoota Inlet, a natural estuary and lake system renowned for its unspoilt beauty. To the east are Cape Howe Marine National Park and Gabo Island, home to the largest colony of little penguins in the Southern Hemisphere. A wilderness coastline stretches in either direction as far as the eye can see. This spectacular marine and coastal environment is surrounded by Croajingolong National Park which is recognised by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve.
The Save Bastion Point Campaign
A coalition of concerned groups and supporters has formed to fight the East Gippsland Shire Council’s proposal for a boat ramp and breakwater development at Bastion Point, Mallacoota. The campaign opposes such inappropriate development: it aims to protect the many values of Bastion Point and to promote safe and sustainable use of the area.
Where is Bastion Point - Why is it so special?
Bastion Point has extensive indigenous cultural heritage sites, has one of the few accessible shallow reef habitats in East Gippsland, and has ecological, geological and landscape values of state significance. It is the town beach and is used for surfing, swimming, beachcombing, bird-watching, rock pool rambling, scientific study, snorkeling, relaxing, angling and other recreational and social activities throughout the year.
What is the issue?
The East Gippsland Shire Council wants to construct a large ocean access facility at Bastion Point. Bastion Point currently provides ocean access for the abalone industry, government departments and recreational boating. The existing single-lane concrete ramp is 40 years old, and has not been maintained. It is in poor condition and is often covered by transitional sand. We recognize the need for improvement at Bastion Point; however all of the options considered by Council would require heavy engineering works, including large breakwaters, and would result in irreversible damage to Bastion Point. The Council’s preferred option, 150 metres south of the current boat ramp, includes ~
• a 2-lane boat ramp
• a large car/trailer turning area on the beach
• a boat holding area, with jetty
• a large breakwater approx 130m long, 2.3–2.8 high and 15m wide
• permanent sand dredging equipment
• road access through the headland
• catch-weighing, boat washing and fish cleaning facilities
• a boat trailer, car park and toilet facilities.
The Council is currently preparing an Environment Effects Statement (EES) for their proposal, which is a requirement by the Victorian Minister for Planning before any decision can be made about the development.
What’s wrong with the process?
To date, the Council’s conduct of the EES process has been substandard. They have failed to provide genuine, transparent and inclusive engagement of the Mallacoota community. A number of the reports that have been commissioned by Council have been inaccurate and flawed. Options for Bastion Point that could be environmentally, socially, culturally and economically sustainable have not been considered or assessed.
What’s wrong with the proposed development?
It will degrade a significant wilderness coastal environment & habitat.
The proposed boat ramp and breakwater would cut through the geologically significant Bastion Point reef, resulting in the destruction of diverse and species-rich marine habitats. It would also interfere with the coastal processes and require an on-going dredging operation that would further impact the reef and nearby beaches. Construction of the access road and turning area would remove significant coastal vegetation and habitat, and threaten fragile dunes and a cliff-face of geo-scientific importance. Impacts on the wider environment from the proposed development are also likely. An outstanding coastal panorama would be seriously interrupted, and the natural integrity of a wilderness coast destroyed forever.
It will be inequitable and discriminate against all other users
Read more
Sunday, July 29, 2007
The New Centre Opens in Notting Hill
On Saturday Notting Hill turned out for opening of the new Neighbour Hood Centre.
In what what marked a new beginning for Notting Hill the Governor of Victoria, his Excellency Professor David de Kretser, officially opened the Notting Hill Community House with the formal ritual of the cutting of the ribbon.
The new Neighbourhood House is in the renovated kindergarden on Westefield Drive near the shops.
Professor de Kretser and his wife Jan lived in Notting Hill during the 1980s' and their children attended the kindergarden in its early years.
At 2.30 Professor de Kretser and his wife Jan arrived to be met by Marian Quartly,our local MC.
Then Melinda Ashton, kicked off the proceedings with a welcome and speech. Followed by the Governor, More from Marian and Tom Morrisey, the Mayor of Monash City.
Then the cutting of the ribbon and the crowd joined in for sandwiches and cake.
A great day for all.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
What Future for Community Voices in Planning and Development
Reader M highlighted a news article in the Age today - Council stripped of permit power : Planning Minister Madden is considering a model introduced in SA in which special panels dominated by unelected planning and design experts to determine major planning applications
Councils urged to consider cuts to planning powers
Royce Millar July 19, 2007
A leading local government figure has urged Victorian councils not to immediately reject a proposal to strip local councils of some of their planning powers.
Planning Minister Justin Madden is considering a model, introduced by the South Australian Government, under which panels dominated by unelected planning and design experts determine major planning applications.
Development groups have enthusiastically backed the idea, but some councils are adamantly opposed.
However, some senior local government figures have welcomed debate on the issue, and have urged councils not to reject the proposal outright.
Victorian Local Governance Association president Beth Davidson said councils should be prepared to consider better methods of decision-making "rather than continuing on just because that's what you've always done".
But she cautioned the Government against imposing a new system, noting the Government's vow to work with councils. "Partners collaborate, they don't impose," she said.
Cr Davidson's council, the Surf Coast Shire, has used a similar system for many years, under which local experts decide more contentious planning proposals. Planning staff decide the rest. It is the only council in Victoria that uses such a system, and it worked "extremely well", she said.
But Opposition planning spokesman Mathew Guy said Labor's consideration of the SA model represented "the beginning of the end" for community input into urban planning.
"The adoption of this planning system will give a clear run to build higher, and more densely, across existing urban areas and will have scant regard for existing urban character across Melbourne and rural and regional Victoria," he said.
It is believed the Liberal Party was considering introducing a similar system before it lost power at the 1999 state election.
Port Phillip Mayor Janet Bolitho said the Government should not be considering such a significant change before fulfilling its own promises to cut red tape.
The Government "should be putting its energies into fully implementing its own policies instead of leaping on another quick fix", she said.
"Planning can be a fraught business, but it's essential that local democracy not be undermined simply to appease sections of the property industry," Cr Bolitho said.
Brian Welch, executive director of the Master Builders Association of Victoria, said that reform of the planning system along the lines of the SA model should be the Government's priority in any bid to improve housing affordability.
Link
This was followed by the Liberal Opposition Planning Spokesman with more dire warnings
FAREWELL COMMUNITY PLANNING INPUT – HELLO HIGH RISE ACROSS THE SUBURBS
News that the Bracks Government is considering adopting a centralised model of planning approvals is the beginning of the end for community input into urban planning. Adoption of Labor’s plan would see unelected officials determining what can and can’t be built across Victoria. “The removal of planning powers from communities is what the Bracks Government has always wanted,” Shadow Minister for Planning Matthew Guy said today.
“Despite assurances to the contrary by the Premier late last year, this Government has always seen local councils and local input as the enemy in planning decisions.”
Mr Guy said that adoption of the proposed model would clear the way for high-rise residential towers across the suburbs.
“The Bracks Government has had huge problems forcing the implementation of its flawed Melbourne 2030 planning scheme which advocates high density, high-rise apartments across the suburbs.”
“The adoption of this planning system will give a clear run to build higher, and more densely, across existing urban areas and will have scant regard for existing urban character across Melbourne and rural and regional Victoria.”
“For people who have resisted high-rise or high density developments in their suburbs, they will have no say when this planning scheme is implemented.”
For rural and regional Victoria the news is worse. Not only will communities lose their chance to have a say on planning decisions, but the decisions on what will or won’t be built in towns across Victoria will be made by an unelected clique from Melbourne.
“In 1999 Steve Bracks was elected to government and claimed on election night that he’d ‘bring democracy back to Victoria’ – clearly his Government’s word means nothing as local democracy and local planning input are set to be a victim of their lies."
What’s the word from the curvy streets of Notting Hill?
Councils urged to consider cuts to planning powers
Royce Millar July 19, 2007
A leading local government figure has urged Victorian councils not to immediately reject a proposal to strip local councils of some of their planning powers.
Planning Minister Justin Madden is considering a model, introduced by the South Australian Government, under which panels dominated by unelected planning and design experts determine major planning applications.
Development groups have enthusiastically backed the idea, but some councils are adamantly opposed.
However, some senior local government figures have welcomed debate on the issue, and have urged councils not to reject the proposal outright.
Victorian Local Governance Association president Beth Davidson said councils should be prepared to consider better methods of decision-making "rather than continuing on just because that's what you've always done".
But she cautioned the Government against imposing a new system, noting the Government's vow to work with councils. "Partners collaborate, they don't impose," she said.
Cr Davidson's council, the Surf Coast Shire, has used a similar system for many years, under which local experts decide more contentious planning proposals. Planning staff decide the rest. It is the only council in Victoria that uses such a system, and it worked "extremely well", she said.
But Opposition planning spokesman Mathew Guy said Labor's consideration of the SA model represented "the beginning of the end" for community input into urban planning.
"The adoption of this planning system will give a clear run to build higher, and more densely, across existing urban areas and will have scant regard for existing urban character across Melbourne and rural and regional Victoria," he said.
It is believed the Liberal Party was considering introducing a similar system before it lost power at the 1999 state election.
Port Phillip Mayor Janet Bolitho said the Government should not be considering such a significant change before fulfilling its own promises to cut red tape.
The Government "should be putting its energies into fully implementing its own policies instead of leaping on another quick fix", she said.
"Planning can be a fraught business, but it's essential that local democracy not be undermined simply to appease sections of the property industry," Cr Bolitho said.
Brian Welch, executive director of the Master Builders Association of Victoria, said that reform of the planning system along the lines of the SA model should be the Government's priority in any bid to improve housing affordability.
Link
This was followed by the Liberal Opposition Planning Spokesman with more dire warnings
FAREWELL COMMUNITY PLANNING INPUT – HELLO HIGH RISE ACROSS THE SUBURBS
News that the Bracks Government is considering adopting a centralised model of planning approvals is the beginning of the end for community input into urban planning. Adoption of Labor’s plan would see unelected officials determining what can and can’t be built across Victoria. “The removal of planning powers from communities is what the Bracks Government has always wanted,” Shadow Minister for Planning Matthew Guy said today.
“Despite assurances to the contrary by the Premier late last year, this Government has always seen local councils and local input as the enemy in planning decisions.”
Mr Guy said that adoption of the proposed model would clear the way for high-rise residential towers across the suburbs.
“The Bracks Government has had huge problems forcing the implementation of its flawed Melbourne 2030 planning scheme which advocates high density, high-rise apartments across the suburbs.”
“The adoption of this planning system will give a clear run to build higher, and more densely, across existing urban areas and will have scant regard for existing urban character across Melbourne and rural and regional Victoria.”
“For people who have resisted high-rise or high density developments in their suburbs, they will have no say when this planning scheme is implemented.”
For rural and regional Victoria the news is worse. Not only will communities lose their chance to have a say on planning decisions, but the decisions on what will or won’t be built in towns across Victoria will be made by an unelected clique from Melbourne.
“In 1999 Steve Bracks was elected to government and claimed on election night that he’d ‘bring democracy back to Victoria’ – clearly his Government’s word means nothing as local democracy and local planning input are set to be a victim of their lies."
What’s the word from the curvy streets of Notting Hill?
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Notting Hill History
Wilkinson's Bakery on the Southwest corner of Ferntree Gully Road and Blackburn Road, 1888
The Notting Hill History Project is underway. As part of the opening of the Neighbourhood Centre there will be an exhibition on the history of the estate. The items for the display are being collected with the assistance of a grant from the Local History Grants Program.
A little on our history. Originally our suburb was known as Barkers Hill, MJ Barker being an early resident in the district but was renamed when a settler by the name of Thomas Wilkinson setup camp in the area because of his association with Notting Hill in London (although this is disputed as he actually came from Lincolnshire).
He was a Cobb & Co carrier of both parcels and passengers between Prahran and Ferntree Gully and in the late 1870s his house became the Half Way House Hotel (now the Notting Hill Pub) as a source of refreshment on their journey through the area, and finally he then became postmaster at the Notting Hill Post Office.
Within our estate, there was a creek called ‘Mile Creek West’ which had two branches at the northern end crossing over Ferntree Gully Rd joining into a main section which ran south along side the primary school’s eastern boundary and
continued on. These branches of creeks came from the southern boundary within the well known ‘Thomas Napier’s Historical Scotchmans Creek Grazing Run’.
The local aboriginal tribe from our area where called ‘Boonoorong’. Research indicates that the name of one of our avenues ‘Akuna’, draws from the Koori name meaning ‘Clear Water’.
Historically, the people from Notting Hill,when gathered together, have strong voices and have paved the way in several aspects. They were heard through many channels of both Council & Education Departments.
Our estate was and is known as Westerfield and was Australia’s first completely pre-planned neighbourhood by AV Jennings in the late 1950s, and early 60’s with approximately 8 different house plans to choose from - designed to provide modern living in a complete community with a character and atmosphere of distinction.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Recent House Auction Action in Notting Hill
Recently this house on Westerfield sold at auction for $457,250 after some energetic and spirited bidding.
Apart from a free Saturday morning's entertainment what does this mean for local house values - any ideas or thoughts?
Monday, June 18, 2007
Appearing in Your Letterbox Soon - The Latest Notting Hill News
click on page to increase to full screen
Thursday, June 7, 2007
In the News: Planning Backlash
High density apartment developments encroaching Notting Hill with an appetite for the school grounds next
FROM Camberwell to Moonee Ponds, normally sedate and polite people are joining a movement that could eventually mean trouble for the Bracks Government.
John Masanauskas May 07, 2007 12:00am Herald Sun
These unlikely suburban warriors are opposed to Melbourne 2030 -- a plan to fit more than one million extra people into the city over the next 20 years. Under the plan, much of the growth should occur in so-called activity centres, high-rise apartments built around transport and business hubs.
The best known proposal involves Camberwell station, mainly because of high-profile opponents Geoffrey Rush and Barry Humphries.
For members of protest group Planning Backlash, the big issue is that many developers are destroying neighbourhoods by over-developing existing residential sites.
Ann Reid, from Malvern East, said replacing single house blocks with multi-unit and dual occupancy developments was making people angry.
"There's more traffic congestion, a loss of open space, loss of trees and loss of neighbourhood character," she said. "This dogma of growth is destroying the suburbs."
Marion Quartly, from Notting Hill, said residents were concerned two public schools that were closed were being replaced by hundreds of houses.
Monash University demographer Dr Bob Birrell said building approval figures showed the Government's plan to move people into activity centre apartments wasn't working. He said the apartments were too expensive, and more than a third of dwellings now built in Melbourne comprised so-called opportunistic in-fill.
"This is where an existing house is demolished and replaced with several units or a unit is built in the backyard of an existing home. It's fundamentally changing the nature of suburbia, but in-fill is not discussed in Melbourne 2030 at all."
Read more
From BRAG
Monday, June 4, 2007
Locals Begin the Revegetation of the Wetland
On Saturday locals joined together to begin the revegetation of the wetland area in Notting Hill. With the help of Monash University ground staff who prepared the ground native plants were put in to create a new bushland areas around the small dam.
More planting will occur as we raise further funds to pay for more plants.
And a little clean up of the rubbish in the area too. Old thongs and plastic anyone?
Followed by coffee and scones all round
Thursday, May 31, 2007
The Telstra Empire Colonises Notting Hill - Offices for 4000 over the Back Fence
Telstra announced their plans today for their site at 770 Blackburn Rd, the former Telstra Research Labs. This joins onto the Notting Hill housing area.
Quoting from their media release - link
"Telstra will build a large 40,000 square metre office complex in Clayton, Victoria."
The new flagship development, to be completed by late 2009, will accommodate around 4,000 Telstra employees in four low-rise buildings ranging from two to six storeys."
Leading property Developer Salta Constructions will undertake the construction which will also feature an additional 2,000 square metres of retail facilities comprising a mini-market, newsagent and cafes."
"Site work is expected to commence in early 2008 and will involve the demolition of the existing vacant buildings"
In Notty the response is mixed – more people in the area but the traffic; the lack of open space and parking point to failures in planning that are being compounded by school closures.
L wrote:
The South Eastern employees scattered over the suburbs and outer CBD will all be relocated to this site. If we thought the traffic was bad around here now, just wait until this place opens ... and where are all the cars going to park as most of the site will be office/retail buildings? The price of apartments might rise if people want to live and work in the same suburb? Who knows ... all the more reason to press on for some open spaces and greenery, bike paths etc as we're going to bear some of the pressure of all the extra human and vehicular traffic.
D wrote:
If even just 5% of Telstra's 4000+ staff brought their children to a local school that's 200 or more kids. Imagine if there was a good primary school just off the Telstra/University sites [perhaps, the former Monash Primary School :)], which then fed into the Monash Uni Science and Technology Secondary school, or one of the local Sec. schools such as Mt. Waverley or Glen Waverley ... and what about childcare facilites close by?? What is the State Govt/Monash Council going to do about providing all the extra services that will be needed by the influx of Telstra employees?
This is a B3 Zone and for the site (770 Blackburn Rd) there is a 28,000 square meter limit for leasable office space above which a planning permit would be needed
--- thus expect to see a planning application notice .. should be detail available when that happens.
D2 wrote:
Parking ... my reading of 52.06 (can't find anything that overrides it in the B3 zone) required 3.5 cars per 100 square meters of floor for an office. ie 40000/100 * 3.5 = 1400 car parks ... given my past life at that site I'd say there will be a few extra people looking to park cars (Expect 1 person per 10square meters of floor area and nearly 1 car per 2 persons at best) --- ie 4000 people (as stated in the announcement) so 2000+ cars. Not sure where they will go let alone get in and out of the site. When TRL was there at its peak there were only about 600 people.
L2:
the more reason to press on for some open spaces and greenery, bike paths
etc as we're going to bear some of the pressure of all the extra human and
vehicular traffic.
- AND SCHOOLS!!!!! surely some of those people will want easy access to a
primary school, as was the case with the now-closed primary school.
Monday, May 28, 2007
The Greening of Notting Hill Begins
ALL WELCOME
Tree Planting - This Saturday (Sat 2 June)
This is a reminder that the Tree Planting Day is happening this Saturday 2 June between 10:00am and 12:00noon on the vacant land between the open stormwater drain and the Melbourne Cricket Centre on Duredin Street.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME along with your shovels and spades!
So please join us in greening up our suburb.
Tree Planting - This Saturday (Sat 2 June)
This is a reminder that the Tree Planting Day is happening this Saturday 2 June between 10:00am and 12:00noon on the vacant land between the open stormwater drain and the Melbourne Cricket Centre on Duredin Street.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME along with your shovels and spades!
So please join us in greening up our suburb.
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