There’s a new residents’ group opposing inappropriate development in Glen Eira – and specifically Bentleigh. For all our readers in this area, please have a look at: http://bentleigheastcommunity.wordpress.com/ for all the latest news on applications and objections.
Technology once again proves the role it can play in disseminating news, providing a real communication channel, and most importantly, allowing groups themselves to release what they consider to be important – as opposed to Council’s version of events.
Glen Eira Debates 
May 24, 2011 at 3:28 PM
Surely this council must be getting the message now that residents have had a gut full of how planning is happening throughout Glen Eira and that there is growing opposition to the open slather approach that benefits only developers. Until they are prepared to properly review the planning scheme and to actually ask residents what they want, then they can expect more and more opponents and an absolute caning at the next election.
May 24, 2011 at 6:58 PM
An absolute caning. Strong words. You and you and others that sit back with all the wisdom of the world. With all the current councillors being defeated you can then stand for Council and sort the bastards out. What about proposing some ammendments on this blog. That would be a positive step. The State Gov. adopts the planning scheme. The Council didn’t invent 2030. When the planning scheme was developed meetings were held and very few people turned up. Everyone wants things to stay the same. No change. It doesn’t happen. Everything changes.
May 24, 2011 at 7:18 PM
The argument that very few people showed up is not an argument. That’s exactly the Burke line in a recent post. Of course you don’t get people to show up if you don’t let them know that something is on or if you don’t properly explain the implications of what you’re going to do. For people to be interested they have to be informed fully and understand exactly what it means to them. Not showing up doesn’t prove a damn thing. It’s just Newton’s way of ramming through everything and only doing the minimum that the law demands.
Then there’s your argument about standing for council. Not a bad idea. Sure need new blood to keep those bastards honest! You want amendments. Reckon that this blog has offered plenty of things that could be introduced such as structure plans and height limits – just for starters. Pray tell us why this mob haven’t done any of these things and why there hasn’t been any real reason given as to why they haven’t been done?
As far as I know there are now at least 5 community groups that have started to kick up a stink about planning. If this is your idea of people not wanting change then you must be blind, or as lipshutz says ‘living under a rock’.
May 24, 2011 at 3:47 PM
Thanks for linking to our new blog. A group of us in the Bentleigh East area didn’t know how to go about setting up a forum for discussion, and after receiving a flyer in the mail about Glen Eira Debates yesterday, we decided to set up our own blog to connect with yours! Thankyou for letting us know that this forum existed!
May 24, 2011 at 7:07 PM
The advantage that Council has had for years is that residents didn’t know of each others existence and issues. In this way the community was largely fragmented and disorganised and hence lacking influence and power. With the internet this is now all changing. Contact is only a few keystrokes away and important documents can now be widely dispersed – at no cost to anyone. I applaud the drive and energy of people who are prepared to support communities in organising themselves and challenging the autocratic rule of this awful council. Long live the internet!
May 24, 2011 at 8:41 PM
Well Anon
I was involved in the ‘consultations’ for the urban village and at no stage in any of the meetings was it suggested that an urban village might include multi-storey apartment buildings. When the Urban Village was being discussed the council was talking about dual occupancy as being higher density. Never, ever were 3, 4, 7, 10 or 14 storey buildings part of the discussion. And Anon, these consultations took place just so, so long ago. Now council has taken it on to the shoulders of administrators to develop our planning scheme and the community has been cut out of the process. That is because they know what the community wants and have no intention of delivering this to the ratepayers of Glen Eira. Anon, have a look at what other councils do and you might be surprised that some councils can and do act in the interest of residents and not just developers
May 24, 2011 at 9:55 PM
Did anyone hear Matthew Guy practically lose his temper on ABC radio this morning over comments made by Mayor of Marybyrong? At least here’s a Mayor who tells it like it is. Found this on the ABC website:
Heated exchange over Footscray development
Updated 8 hours 40 minutes ago
Map: Footscray 3011 The State Government and the Maribyrnong City Council have exchanged heated words over the government’s planning approval for a 25-storey development at Footscray.
The 80-metre high project containing 222 apartments, retail space and bicycle facilities will dominate the skyline.
The Maribyrnong mayor, Sarah Carter, accused Planning Minister Matthew Guy of going behind the council’s back to approve the development plan without consultation.
“We’re really concerned this is going to set a precedent for gross overdevelopment because what we need is a comprehensive approach to what Footscray is going to look like,” she said.
Mr Guy told ABC Local Radio he did consult with the council’s planning department.
“The priority development zone was agreed by the Maribyrnong Council and the former Labor government,” he said.
“It makes the Planning Minister the responsible authority.”
He says the council has asked the state government to make the tough decisions.
“To run around and say it’s been called in, backroom deals, it beggars belief that the council would so ignorant of a process that they asked for,” he said.
May 24, 2011 at 10:35 PM
Councillors Pilling, Hyams, Esakoff and Lipshutz have set the precedent for Glen Eira through their approval of C60 that 20 storeys is acceptable. Paul Burke has stated that there were few objections so it’s open for all developers- or else you can vote for a new Council and Administration – simple.
May 25, 2011 at 7:28 AM
If only we could vote in a new administration for this city! Then we might see some democracy at work, true discussion and debate by councilors and less manipulation of facts and information
May 25, 2011 at 9:34 AM
It’s called, CHANGE. coming to a suburb near you. You will get used to it.
May 25, 2011 at 11:15 AM
Is your name Pat Goodwin, and did you write that you’re in favour of two four-storey apartment complexes on Centre Road in Bentleigh East?
People like you don’t understand the implication of 86 single-bedroom shoeboxes being added to suburb – who in their right mind would want to live in a shoebox in the middle of the burbs? Oh, that’s right – international students. I’m sure they’ll be able to fit at least 6 of them into one of those single-bedroom shoebox, and charge 6 kids for rent they already can’t afford.
And if it’s not “affordable” accommodation, why build do high and so many? Why not just a double storey apartment block, in line with the highest buildings in the area. Even three-storey is acceptable, but four will overshadow the whole block.
Not that you care… you probably don’t even live in Bentleigh East.
May 25, 2011 at 8:24 PM
They probably only want 3 storeys. Four would be an ambit claim. The Planning Scheme will allow 3. My bet is that is where it will end. car parks is what kills them. Good luck.