Council and community heard on Boronia planning
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Knox City Council will be able to consider whatever height limits it chooses in the Boronia activities centre, after constructive discussions with Planning Minister Matthew Guy.
The Council sought authorisation from the Minister to implement discretionary height controls of 7.5 metres in residential areas of the Boronia activities centre, as part of the Boronia Structure Plan by the Council.
The previous Labor Government bullied the Council and refused this request, stating it would not accept any height limit under 9 metres.
Mr Guy said he had heard the Council and the community’s concerns on the height issue, and wants the Knox City Council to be able to consider 7.5 metre discretionary height limits.
“I have listened to the community and recognise there needs to be some guidance on what is considered reasonable residential development in residential areas that adjoin activity centres. Planning should never be a ‘one size fits all’ approach,” Mr Guy said.
“It is important we support appropriate development in key defined areas while still providing protection for neighbouring residential amenity.
“I have written to Knox City Council advising I want the Council to provide me with its recommendation, not one dictated to it by the previous Labor Planning Minister. If the Council feels 7.5 metre discretionary height limits in this area can be justified, they can make that determination.”
Member for Ferntree Gully Nick Wakeling and Member for Bayswater Heidi Victoria said they supported Mr Guy’s decision to give the Council its say on height limits, and that community concerns could be heard through the council process.
COMMENTS: We’ve said it before and will say it again. Without structure plans, without interim or permanent height limits, 14 storey developments in Activity Centres are here to stay. Without properly researched and implemented transition zones Minimal Change Areas will be looking up at 5 and 6 storey developments. Without a total revamp of the Planning Scheme – in genuine consultation with residents – this Council remains a sitting duck! Residents should ask council:
- Have you applied to the Minister for height limits? If not, why not?
- What are your reasons (fully explained) for rejecting structure plans – (and forget cost if you’re prepared to spend a million in the coming year on car parks!)
- Why has the housing policy not been updated for over a decade?
Glen Eira Debates 
July 27, 2011 at 8:53 AM
Consultation means a few activists meeting the council staff then whatever the staff want is implemented. Of course the activists want no change. Usually the well attended meetings take place as a protest after the changes are promulgated. Why elect people then waste time pretending to be listening to a handful of attention seeking residents?
July 27, 2011 at 11:50 AM
VCAT may well and truly be arbitrary. This doesn’t excuse Council from ensuring that it protects residents to the best of its ability via a Planning Scheme that at least attempts to set prescriptive guidelines. I find it absurd that amendments are generally done at the request of developers or that incorporated plans are also done by these people. In other words Glen Eira leaves everything to developers – they do the work, they submit the plans and Council sits back and generally accepts whatever is put up. A truck could be driven through the current planning scheme it is so vague. Everything is in the developer’s court.
July 28, 2011 at 8:06 AM
Glen Eira will get its chance. Watch this space. Big difference between Caulfield and Bayswater. It is silly to draw comparisons. Really silly.
July 27, 2011 at 1:49 PM
Most ammendmants are written by Council staff. C60 was written by a bloke called Stuart Morris. He was a former head of VCAT, one time developer and a senior ALP member. Pretty well connected sort of bloke. No one complained at the time. He was being paid by the MRC, all OK under the Act. The current Government is planning a major overhaul of the laws and they are open for subbmissions until 31st August. I doubt that VCAT will play much part in any future planning laws. Make things alot better.
July 27, 2011 at 4:29 PM
Knox gets 7.5m height limit. Glen Eira officers recommend 9 metres at last council meeting. What a difference a council makes and councillors with some guts.
July 28, 2011 at 2:19 AM
ONE BIG ASK BY STUART MORRIS, ON BEHALF OF THE MRC, WAS TO GIVE THE POOR OLD CLUB REMISSION FROM ALLOCATING OPEN SPACE AT THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT BUT TO GIVE SILVER COINS INSTEAD so as our beaurocrats can build on other green grass!!
THE SAID LEGAL EAGLE WAS SPED AWAY as a worker at VCAT for his dual activities and he admitted to having no worries regarding neighbour’s overlooking becuse he had a double block OUT Ivanhoe way, you know near the river, but of course not everyone earns several thousand dollars a day. So now C 60 will only offer the 10,000 who visit or live in the area daily the foorpath to stand upon to gather in their ray of sunshine.