The MRC is bluffing
IT has been rumoured that if Glen Eira Council does not strike a deal with the Melbourne Racing Club over C60 that the MRC will walk away from the situation and sell its land to a developer.
The MRC is probably bluffing anyway, to try to pressure the council. If a professional developer came in, they would be required to build a proper residential precinct with proper observance of residential regulations regarding amenity, parking and traffic – something the MRC has tried repeatedly to flout.
As for relocation of current parking for races and events from the C60 site, whoever develops this area will provide parking only for the actual development , not for the MRC’s activities.
Glen Eira Debates 
April 12, 2011 at 11:32 AM
The problem here is that we have left four naive negotiators in charge of making a decision. Lipshutz, Hyams, Esakoff and Pilling are probably at this moment running around in a panic wondering where they sign. If we had some experienced business people on the Committee such as Penhalluriack, then they would see this for what it is and call the bluff. Anyway, I can only see upside for the MRC in selling the land and focus on racing and opening up the public reserve.
April 12, 2011 at 12:06 PM
For years and years now, Newton has been the handmaiden of the MRC. He’s successfully bluffed all councillors into toeing the line with legal bullshit and threats in all probability, and now we will witness the rush to get the C60 passed cos we’ve gone through the mock consultation that never was and the coast is all clear now for the final act.
Lipshutz had better start looking for another job though. He will wear the blame for all this as much as Esakoff, Hyams and the rest of the gang. There’s no reason on earth why the C60 should be on the table before the centre of the racecourse is decided. There’s also no good reason why any decision should be left to these four people. It’s all bluff and bullshit and the sooner the electorate realises this the better off we’ll all be without the likes of Newton and Lipshutz.
Lipshutz has already proven heaps of times that he doesn’t give a damn about conflict of interest and that he has absolutely no understanding of what it means to be a councillor who represents the people. The same goes for Tang. The sooner we’re rid of this mob the better.
April 12, 2011 at 12:50 PM
Today’s Leader, plus online comments –
Tower fears tracked for Caulfield
Local News12 Apr 11 @ 08:15am by Jenny Ling
FRESH fears that towering buildings of more than 20 storeys will be constructed around the Caulfield racecourse have been raised by residents.
At least 130 people crowded into the Caulfield Park pavilion to voice height, traffic, parking and amenity concerns to Glen Eira Council’s Caulfield racecourse precinct committee about the Melbourne Racing Club’s $750 million Caulfield Village plans.
Club development manager Brian Discombe told the meeting building west of Smith St precinct would be capped at 12 storeys, while the building planned east of Smith St would be limited to no more than 20 storeys.
Plans to date have included three buildings, 10 to 15 storeys, between Station St and Kambrook and Normanby roads.
The meeting comes after an independent panel, following a six-day hearing last year, recommended that the plans go ahead.
Caulfield resident Bette Hatfield said it was “a huge out of context over-development that’s grown enormously from the original plans”.
Craig, who has lived in Caulfield his whole life, said the proposal reminded him of Docklands.
“Docklands, if we ask anyone, they will say it’s a failure because of bad planning,” he said.
Michael Cramphorn said approving the Caulfield C60 development would be “giving Dracula the key to the blood bank”.
Committee chairman Michael Lipshutz said height control was “definitely a concern”.
He said the committee would decide whether to approve, reject or modify the plans at a meeting, for which a date has yet to be set.
Comments
Matthew
writes:
Posted on
12 Apr 11 at 11:54am
This comes on top of the newly released plans for Monash University. If you go to: http://masterplan.fsd.monash.edu.au/ it has the plans for more high rise buildings on Caulfield Plaza. How will the infrastructure will cope with this? A congestion crisis is coming to Caulfield and nothing seems to be able to stop it.
Cathrine
writes:
Posted on
12 Apr 11 at 11:21am
This thing has gone from 15 stories when first floated to 23 stories now. And both Monash and Zagames are also said to be set to announce 20 story building plans for the other side of the railway. Lookout Caulfield residents, these monster buildings are coming our way. Councillors better support the local residents or we will have to vote them out next year.
Marven
writes:
Posted on
12 Apr 11 at 11:10am
When I went to the meeting last week, the model they presented had a 23 story building on it. It must be there for a reason. It is totally excessive in size and height. The local roads and trains will be absolutely choked. We must strop this madness!
April 12, 2011 at 2:06 PM
Damn right they are bluffing … if C60 goes ahead that development will be the biggest rate payer in Caulfield. I don’t think that’s a title the selfserving MRC want to give away.
Call their bluff. Make them fix the centre of the racecourse before this goes any further
April 12, 2011 at 7:14 PM
You may be interested to know that there was a VCAT direction way back in 2002, where the same famous barrister S. Morris appeared for MRC, and the MRC asked for a certain wish list and what do you know it took all the things it wanted like building another thing called a lake, which is atually only another acre or so for their water storage, actually commonly known as a dam, in return the VCAT directed that certain improvements had to be made in the centre for the Glen Eira community. Well guess what the wish list has been fulfilled and the directions for our benefit have been shelved. Why would council fall for this trap again! Maybe if the MRC were tobehave and give over the centre of the racecourse right away then maybe the c60 could be considered if parking and traffic solutions were made first.
So in a “shell” MRC promises are not worth the paper they are written on even if they come out as directions form VCAT.
Even the lake edges are marked as “dangerous keep away” which is not the case of dams in the country,Albert Park Lake or Caulfield Park Lake or the Botanical Gardens Lake? Just another promise and that seems to keep our councillors quiet for a year or two while the club makes millions from shows, helicopter flights and whatever they choose and we are still locked out or made to feel feel very unwelcome.