Baillieu defends meetings with Urbis
Marika Dobbin
March 10, 2011
PREMIER Ted Baillieu has defended his government over its meetings with developers of a 140-metre skyscraper proposed for the parliamentary precinct that would eclipse the adjacent Windsor Hotel redevelopment.
He said it was appropriate for Planning Minister Matthew Guy and his department to have met representatives of the developers from consultancy Urbis recently, ahead of a formal permit application being lodged.
”We have never had a problem with pre-application meetings,” he said. ”I think it’s important in those situations that it is all documented and that will be a distinguishing feature of this government.”
An Ombudsman’s report into the Windsor Hotel fiasco criticised the former government for failing to keep accurate records of meetings. Mr Baillieu said he had not seen the proposal for the Palace Theatre site – but hinted he would be against it.
Questions:
- How many pre-application meetings took place between government, MRC and/or council regarding the C60
- How comprehensive is the record keeping of these meetings?
- How well informed were councillors of the existence of these meetings?
- How well informed were councillors of the progress of these meetings?
- How comprehensive are the records of meetings post application?
- Are councillors privy to these records? Should they be?
Glen Eira Debates 
March 10, 2011 at 12:42 PM
A friend lives in Moonee Valley has received more information on the development than residents of Glen Eira have received on the Caulfield racecourse development- and that is on privately owned land, not public parkland like Caulfield. The MRC and Glen Eira Council are scheming and residents are being kept in the dark.
March 10, 2011 at 1:29 PM
Glen Eira Leader of March 8th page 24 Glen Eira Planning Scheme Amendment C83 prepared by Glen Eira Council to delete a Heritage Overlay on property owned by Margaret and Jack Esakoff.
In a Leader article on 12th October, 2010, the council’s heritage adviser, Gabrielle Moylan, said the building was influenced by the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. “This apartment block … is unusual in the context of this municipality, and even beyond, and I think individual protection of the site is warranted,” Ms Moylan said.