Dear Friend/s of Caulfield Racecourse Recreation Reserve,
As you may be aware we have had two enduring legal battles and have come up against very competent opposition in each case. At the first VCAT Appeal our representatives were declared vexatious for all their hard work unfortunately. However, we must take pride in our joint efforts at the Panel Hearing at the C60 which was held incredibly in the Caulfield Park Pavilion and the Melbourne Racing Club Committee Room.
ALTHOUGH, AS A GROUP OF RESIDENTS I BELIEVE WE PRESENTED OUR CASE VERY WELL AND PROFESSIONALLY IN MANY CASES AND NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME /RESULT IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE GLEN EIRA COUNCIL ONLY APPOINTED A SOLICITOR PART -TIME and two experts AND THE OPPOSITION APPOINTED A QUEENS COUNCIL and FOUR EXPERTS.
In the plan the MRC hopes to build on Crown Land at the Station and their QC asked to pay our council money rather than provide money for the compensation of loss of “Open Space’ WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE SET ASIDE IN ALL CASES OF DEVELOPMENT. This one is for a 15storey building, 12 storey building, 15,000 square metres of retail and housing for about 2,000 persons… it grew as the panel hearing proceeded!!
I hope the panel studies the facts and now more factors enter into it. During the time of the procedure the garage in Station Street was sold for a good price. I wish the engineers well !
Now to the point of this email… Now more than ever we must campaign TO HAVE THE RACECOURSE RETURNED TO THE “SITE FOR A RACECOURSE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUND AND PUBLIC PARK” these words are directly from the title document in which “ Queen Elizabeth ll forbids any transfer or dealing with any part of the land.”
In the planned development all of the members car parks will be built on so we can alert members to this fact at a demonstration in Smith Street (which is to be re-routed) on Saturday31 July at 12.30. We are to aim for television coverage in view of elections.
Slogans could be “SAVE THE TRIANGLE” “MORE GREEN SPACE” “PROPER RACECOURSE ACCESS” “MORE PLAYING FIELDS”
Make a sign, come along bring your friends and relations we must have at least fifty attend for effect.
Yours faithfully
Mary (0428-128-594 enquiries and support)
Glen Eira Debates 
July 15, 2010 at 11:47 AM
The following letter appeared in this week’s Stonnington Leader.
NEWS filtering through of a new plan for Monash University’s Caulfield campus, which includes a 28-storey building, is an unprecedented skyscraper for the area.
Malvern East will become Malvern shadows as this massive building, if approved, casts a shadow over vast distances.
Coupled with the neighbouring Caulfield racecourse development, Soviet-style skyscrapers will be the new reality, along with impossible congestion and overcrowding. After 11 years of the cramand-stack policy, our amenity is dropping as the buildings continue
Matthew Knight
July 15, 2010 at 12:24 PM
This is interesting, but not surprising. Monash University seeing the success of Melbourne Racing Club approach with the weak and obliging Glen Eira Council decided they too should get into the act. Remember Zagame had a 20 storey proposal, which was rejected at the time. But now they may revive it again. Why not. The current Council is not capable to represent residents as it is divided and dividable by a clever divide and rule “club” oriented administration. It matters not that the proposals are not compliant with the Glen Eira Council MSS, Transport Integration Act or even Melbourne 2030. Other Councils support residents, fight developers and State Government. Here we get Municipal Inspectors investigating “minutes”. Yak.
July 19, 2010 at 9:51 PM
A new blogsite has started opposing a proposed 10 storey development in Glen Huntly Road, Elsternwick. You’ll find it at: http://elsternwickcommunity.wordpress.com
July 20, 2010 at 7:06 PM
I cannot believe that in a suburb where there is one of the least parkland of all Councils in Australia, the state government has gifted a valuable parcel of parkland to a gambling institution in the Melbourne Racing Club. What a joke! And to cap it off the MRC then put a 15 storey block of flats on it – then propose two 5 storey carparks on more parkland. Stuff Glen Eira says the greedy MRC, we need even more profits. Good on you Mary. Someone is trying to do something about this crime on the residents of Glen Eira (and all of Melbourne).
July 23, 2010 at 5:10 PM
From the MRC website:
Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Centre Upgrade
Community Consultation Evening
Thursday 5th August 2010
——————
Elms Room, Caulfield Tabaret, Station Street, Caulfield East
6.30pm -7.30pm
As part of the Melbourne Racing Club’s ongoing commitment to community consultation with the residents of Glen Eira, an invitation is extended to the neighbours, local residents and members of the public to attend an information session at Caulfield Racecourse.
The Community Consultation Session is to provide the community with an opportunity to review the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Centre Upgrade proposal, prior to the Club submitting a planning permit application to Council.
The evening will be an informal session where the Club’s staff will be on hand to answer any queries.
Any enquiries please contact the Club on 9257 7100
Tea and coffee provided
ALL WELCOME
July 27, 2010 at 11:07 AM
Front page of today’s Caulfield Leader.
Residents to sell out if tower is built
RESIDENTS are threatening to leave Elsternwick if a 10-storey apartment and retail tower is built on Ripon Grove.
Contour Consultants have lodged plans with Glen Eira Council for 150 apartments, seven shops and a two-level underground carpark at 233-247 Glenhuntly Rd and 12-14 Ripon Grove.
The plans include converting a historic church into 21 units and constructing a three-to 10-storey building at the site to house the remaining apartments and shops.
Peter Wait has started an action group for Sinclair and Gordon streets residents opposing the ‘‘repulsive eyesore’’.
The Sinclair St resident of 16 years said he and a neighbour of 25 years woul d move if the project was approved. ‘‘We’re getting together to object to this; it’s an absolute joke,’’ he said.
‘‘Everyone is saying this is absolutely ridiculous. It will directly impact on our privacy.’’
Glenhuntly Rd resident Kirsten Wright said the development, double the height of other buildings in the area, would block views and sunlight and affect traffic and parking. ‘‘It will be so much higher than anything else in the neighbourhood,’’ Ms Wright said. ‘‘It will dominate the area.’’
Glen Eira Council has received 11 objections.
The church on 12 Ripon Grove, used by Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai, is listed with Heritage Victoria for its architectural importance. The group sold the building two years ago. It will move to new premises in Maribyrnong.
Contour Consultants, working for the same developer behind the proposed $45 million Coles redevelopment in Elsternwick, did not return Leader’s calls. Is Elsternwick the right suburb for a 10-storey apartment block? Tell us at caulfieldleader.com.au