We’ve received a Position Paper from Mr. Orek Tenen on the entire Phoenix Precinct and the Racecourse/C60 amendment. Mr. Tenen’s paper is quite lengthy, and there are many attachments. (+2). We’ve uploaded the full paper here, but present in abridged form his conclusions and recommendations below:  

Suggestions 

To change the unsatisfactory situation and to ensure that Phoenix Precinct satisfies and complies with the designated original Crown Land provisions and community wishes, the following points should be progressed:

  1. The whole Original Crown Land (page 86 of Murray & Well book on History of Caulfield Ref) should be strategically planned as one entity of State significance (202 ha) together with all stakeholders and residents;
  2. Glen Eira and Stonnington Councils to ask the State Government to establish a Priority Development Zone for this whole area;
  3. Current Caulfield Racecourse trustees to be replaced with those that can appropriately represent the Crown Grant terms and conditions i.e. three functions (Racecourse, Public Recreation & Public Park) plus Glen Eira Council as a Planning and Responsible Authority, and State Government as the owner of the Crown Land;
  4. Amendment C60 to be abandoned, but C60 area to be developed as a Technology Park and not a shopping centre;
  5. Training of horses to be removed from the Caulfield Racecourse public Recreation ground & public Park (CRRP);
  6. The present training track to be used by the public for close viewing of races as is done at Flemington racecourse. This will increase the attendance of the Caulfield racecourse racing as is the wish of the racing fraternity and MRC;
  7. Fencing around the Racecourse to be transformed to a modern type that allows visualisation of the CRRP ground and activities on it;
  8. Increase the Recreation & Public Park elements of CRRP to be fully within safe racing track as it is done in so many overseas and Australia’s premier racecourses;
  9. Improve access to the CRRP Recreation & Public Park elements of the racecourse;
  10. Caulfield Station to be developed as a major Transit Station, particularly for goods transport linking East and West of Victoria i.e. deep channel Westernport Bay and Avalon Airport;
  11. Remove level crossings as a priority in getting the goods transport on line(s) that link Westernport and Avalon Airport;
  12. To ensure proper implementation establish a Steering Committee and an Implementation Authority.

 

Key findings:

  1. The original 1858 Caulfield Heath land size earmarked for recreation reserve was 440 acres (137.6 ha).  The Caulfield Racecourse is all that remains of that with 54 ha, of which only about 8 ha is supposedly reserved as a Public Recreation and Public Park. And even that is yet to become fully available to residents with an unknown timetable.
  2. Health & Environment issues should be the driver of the Build Environment if Quality of Life is to be improved;
  3. Councils are to properly plan for the future together with their community and not rely only on legislation and bureaucratic processes. This is important for the Victorian Government as well if it is to achieve its objectives for the State;
  4. Phoenix Precinct and Caulfield Racecourse to become a State significant Project, whose economic value exceeds $10 billion. Glen Eira Council has not got the capacity or staff to handle such a big Project.
  5. Caulfield Station in a middle rank LGA is a pre-eminent junction station and should be developed as a Transit Station for goods transport to connect East with West Victoria, specifically Westernport deep channel facility with Avalon Airport.
  6. Key to the success of Caulfield Junction is a program of removing Level Crossings between Westernport and Avalon Airport to ensure cost benefit of goods transport, both on rails and roads.

 

Orek Tenen,

Secretary

Sustainable Villages & Suburbs Inc