Caulfield plan gets the nod
- Date: August 18, 2012
Philip Hopkins
A $1 BILLION-PLUS development at Caulfield Racecourse that will create a village where hundreds of people will live and work has been given the go ahead.
The Melbourne Racing Club yesterday awarded the contract for the project to the Beck Probuild Consortium. It will be built on five hectares of land next to the racecourse, Caulfield train station and Monash University.
The development is expected to take up to 15 years to complete and will include more than 1500 dwellings of different types, and office and retail space, including a supermarket, pharmacy, cafes, restaurants, and other health and recreational outlets.
During construction, the development is expected to generate up to 5000 jobs and an ongoing 1100 jobs once completed. Construction is tipped to start within 24 months.
The Melbourne Racing Club will also upgrade the racecourse to complement the project. The winning consortium is a joint venture between Beck Property Group and Probuild Constructions.
A new street, The Boulevard, will be the heart of the project, which will comprise three primary precincts:
■Precinct 1, to the west of the development, will be a low/medium-density residential area.
■Precinct 2 will be a mixed-use precinct with active street frontages, tree-lined laneways with retail outlets, including a supermarket, specialty shops, and a restaurant hub established around the new Boulevard road link.
■Precinct 3 will encompass the Smith Street precinct based in the eastern section of the site next to Caulfield Station comprising a mix of commercial, residential and retirement accommodation.
Planning approval came after consultation with the City of Glen Eira, the local community, state planning authorities, local state MP David Southwick and other stakeholders.
Melbourne Racing Club’s upgrade of the racecourse infield will include five activated precincts, exercise pods, a jogging trail, a lake pathway, lake boardwalk, barbecue, toilets, a picnic area, a dog off-leash area, and a junior football pitch.
Parking for the new project will be fully contained within the development, with race-day parking staying in the existing racecourse car parks.
A communication plan will be produced to outline the timing and detail of the development as master plans are finalised.
MRC chairman Mike Symons said the development would bring a new vitality to the area.
Consortium director Sam Beck said the project would deliver a world class new suburb for Melbourne.
Probuild managing director Phil Mehrten said it was a great outcome for Melbourne’s construction industry.
”This will mean jobs and investment, and is a vote of confidence in the future of Melbourne’s development industry,” he said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/caulfield-plan-gets-the-nod-20120817-24e03.html#ixzz23qrFe1Ed
Glen Eira Debates 
August 18, 2012 at 10:44 AM
More talk about the centre but no action. The MRC only care about development and Symons, Robertson and Discombe from the MRC couldn’t give a shit about residents. As for communication on the centre. Access and Fencing the MRC, Southwick and Councillors Pilling, Hyams, Lipshutz and Esakoff just sit there like dumb mutes.
August 18, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Southwick has a serious credibility issue. He needs to get on the front foot and show some leadership by explaining if and when the Southwick/MRC/Council agreement is going to be actioned or else it’s back to the DJ gig.
August 18, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Penhalluriack was conned by Lipshutz on the formation of the infamous Racecourse Committee which has not met since approving C60. I hope the rumors of Penhalluriack supporting Lipshutz in the next election by swapping preferences are false. Although it may explain why the two seem very close at present.
August 18, 2012 at 10:59 AM
1200 has blown out to 1500. 10 years to 15 years and 20 storeys will end up probably around 25 storeys. Now there’s another 1100 workers not all of them will come by train so the car parking will have even more impact on surrounding areas.
August 21, 2012 at 4:02 PM
All this has been approved around an infrastructure built well over a 100 years ago. Road viaducts unable to cope with the present traffic volumes and a railway station that can’t cope with passenger numbers in peak hours.
August 18, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Roll on the second and third rounds of the GFC so that this monstrousity in never built. The poor traffic and parking analysis that accompanies this development (i.e. the surrounding road network can handle it with perhaps the only roadwork required being turning the Station Street/Kambrook Road roundabout into a two lane round about) is going make the already clogged Dandenong Road and the Monash Freeway impassable. The much heraleded expansion of the railway to a third line and graded separation ain’t gonna happen (too expensive). The road network and failure to provide andequate public transport infrastructure will mean the dysfunctioanlity of Docklands will be surpassed and another ghetto will be built.
Well done Pilling, Esakoff, Hyams and Lipshutz, Southwick and Guy – you have sold out to the highest bidder.
August 18, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Here’s what should happen. The gang are booted out at the elections. New councillors rescind the amendment and mount a supreme court challenge against the mrc. There’s plenty of dirt and if they can spend this much on penhalluriack then they can for sure spend double this on fighting this monstrosity. Stonnington is prepared to support locals. Glen Eira only supports the developers.
August 18, 2012 at 5:51 PM
This plan (C60) was hatched well before Guy or Southwick were around. It was outlined in the Phoenix project by the Glen Eira Council circa 1999. The MRC made approaches to the Minister ( Maddern) and got the ball rolling by declaring it a special site or something like that. Guy couldn’t have stopped it even if he wanted to. The Council would have been soon pushed aside if they didn’t go along with the scheme. Stonnington Council is a whole different matter. Apparently the Glen Eira Council has been to the Supreme Court appealing VCAT decisions. The moderators may want to dig back in the old minutes. Don’t know if they won.
August 18, 2012 at 6:37 PM
Approval of C60 is one thing but whatever happened to the great agreement according to Southwick, Pilling, Esakoff, Lipshutz and Hyams that was to open up the racecourse by 27 April 2012. 27 APRIL 2012!! Nothing has happened. DO NOT TRUST THEM. THE AGREEMENT WAS A CON.
August 18, 2012 at 7:02 PM
Guy and Southwick may not have been able to stop it but then you have to ask yourself why they made stopping it part of their electioneering
August 18, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Simple…… politics. Same as Gillard and the carbon tax.
August 18, 2012 at 10:26 PM
and we all know what is going to happen to Gillard at the next election. Voters are not stupid and can tell when they have been shafted. Southwick should be moving to allay residents concerns but he is a rabbit in the headlights.
August 20, 2012 at 10:36 PM
Why is Stonnington’s case a different matter?
August 18, 2012 at 11:15 AM
The MRC Media Release is available from – http://www.melbourneracingclub.net.au/mrc/news/2012/08/17/melbourne-racing-club-announcement-on-caulfield-property-development
Apparently there has been “close consultation” and a few other wonderful phrases appear that are not included in the Age article!
August 18, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Anyone who believes parking will be fully contained within the development needs to do a rethink – what will happen is that paid parking may be available but that workers and patrons, not to mention commuters, will opt for unpaid parking on nearby residential streets. Needless to say, as is the current Council practice, parking restrictions will not be enforced by regular inspections by parking officers (it will only occur when individual residents complain about a particular vehicle).
Oh and by the way – the comment on parking only relates to when the thing is finally built in 15 years (was previously 10 years but another cave in to the MRC has occurred). So where will all the construction workers park – I doubt the MRC will offer them free parking in the Guineas or Kambrook Road car parks.
Also – construction traffic (workers and materials) added to the existing traffic, will create a traffic nightmare in the surrounding streets and the major throughfares.
The traffic and parking issues will come as soon as construction commences not after it is built. What’s the Council plan for dealing with that over the next 15 years?
August 18, 2012 at 5:59 PM
The construction workers will insist they be given access to the new car park that will be constructed in the centre of the racetrack well before building commences. This will be tricky has they like to start at 7 am so the horses will need to be well clear. The carpark will be bituman with nice white lines delinetaing the car spaces. Going to give the middle of the track a real lift.!!!!!
August 18, 2012 at 7:09 PM
Nope, construction workers will not be allowed to park in the centre of the racecourse ’cause with their vans, utes and trailers they may damage the white fencing that is sprining up all over the place yet was never planned for. Since they won’t pay for parking and parking in Station and Smith Streets will have to go to ensure access for heavy duty trucks removing soil or delivering materials they’ll be in the residential streets illegally. Council won’t enforce the parking restrictions just as they now don’t in Rosstown Road, Carnegie.
Since builders start early, they will have first dibs on nearby residential streets and the late comers ie. commuters and Monash Uni students and staff will be pushed further afield. Sound wonderful? – it’s what the future will be.
August 18, 2012 at 8:01 PM
The white fences are to keep the horses away from the recreation areas…or do you think that 500kg animals should be able to mix with the humans?
August 19, 2012 at 6:54 AM
Since the public are not allowed in the centre of the racecourse when the horses are out there this justification is bullshit. It is a ruse to allow the MRC to grab more public land and give the public less.
August 18, 2012 at 8:02 PM
There won’t be a single construction worker parking in the centre, ever. They will have their own area as part of the development areas, just like everywhere else.
August 18, 2012 at 11:04 PM
There won’t be a park in the centre-ever. It will never be built. The whole thing was invented by the MRC to get C60 through. Devious maybe but you got to hand it to Diccombe and Roberston. They got the result they wanted.
August 19, 2012 at 6:56 AM
Just like everywhere else – yeah sure, obvious you haven’t had a development built near you. The construction workers will park where they like and Council will do squat – just like everywhere else
August 18, 2012 at 1:10 PM
The article was accompanied by a nice photo of what an artist believes it will look like. If you want to see reality, drive past the racecourse along Queens Avenue like I did on Sunday. It’s a disgrace that no one is maintaining.
August 18, 2012 at 5:29 PM
I walk past there every day. Council have once again failed to maintain a high use pathway that is dangerous to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The self diagnosed master of managing risks, Andrew Newton, would rather use this as a ploy to remove Frank Penhalluriack than consider the safety of residents. There is even a grass mountain 15 foot high!
August 18, 2012 at 10:32 PM
Haha saw that today too. What is going on there? I presume the MRC have dropped the ball or is it Council? Either way, it looks like Queens Avenue has turned into a tip. Whoever is responsible should be fined.
August 18, 2012 at 5:24 PM
Why is the only communication on the Caulfield Racecourse through the MRC? Where are the Trustees? What about Council? Anyone heard from Southwick? All very one sided and not community focused.
August 18, 2012 at 9:38 PM
Ask the Chairman of the Trust, Cr. Magee. He should know what is going on.
August 19, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Glen Eira what’s the obsession with the Racecourse. Get over it.It is really boring for 99.99% of your readers.
August 19, 2012 at 1:09 PM
Reckon you live on another planet or nowhere near the racecourse. If you are bored, solution is simple. Go away! c60 is the biggest issue that Glen Eira has ever had and residents have been screwed good and proper by Newton and all his mates. The elctions are payback time for Pilling, Hyams, Esakoff and Lipshutz.
August 19, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Glen Eira has lots of suburbs not just Caulfield North and East. Most think the C60 is reasonable. If they have high density over there then it make it less likely that anyone will over develop where I live. While it may be a big deal for you it does not register in East Bentleigh or McKinnon or Elsternwick. Good luck with your efforts.
August 19, 2012 at 5:41 PM
I live in Bentleigh and believe it or not high density is an issue. It might not be 20+ storeys, but it’s still an example of disastrous policy and yes men as councillors. None of these buggers are safe if they stand on their record and every resident whether they live in Caulfield North or East Bentleigh has had a really good look at their streets and neighbourhoods being overdeveloped and traffic management that just does not exist. They mightn’t know a thing about planning schemes, but they’re not blind.
August 19, 2012 at 6:16 PM
All Councils are powerless to stop most development. They all promise that they will but it still goes on. Neither the State Gov. (Lib or ALP)or the developers (aka the market place) would let some tin arsed councillor driven by the, “ok but not in my backyard”, syndrome dictate how Melbourne develops. You can see Bentleigh going gang busters. This will keep happening even if there are 9 new Councillors in Glen Eira. Stonnington’s chances of winning in the Supreme Court are slim at best.
Ask any of the Councillors what odds their counsel gave them before they lodged the appeal.
August 19, 2012 at 10:32 PM
Jeez Noel either give it a rest or go take a drive around Stonnington and Glen Eira (only this time make sure your eyes are open). Glen Eira has bullshit planning, Stonnington doesn’t – on your drive around of the two muncipalities the result will be obvious – Glen Eira is developers delight whereas Stonnington’s development (yes it has some) is much more in keeping with the character of the area and residential amenity is considered.
August 20, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Drive past Caulfield Park and see all the cheap piddly natives planted there over the past week, then proceed along Queens Avenue and look along the non maintained racecourse side that doubles as a tip for the municipality. It provides a nice contrast to the plane tree boulevards of Malvern.
August 19, 2012 at 1:51 PM
I think there are two key issues that will determine the next election and both relate to contractual agreements signed by this Council, in particular Councillors Hyams, Lipshutz, Pilling and Esakoff. One is the GESAC and whether liquidated damages have been applied and how much and the second is the racecourse agreement with the MRC. Both represent the heart of Glen Eira but communication on both has been non existent. These issues will be key to the coming election and will determine if Councillors are reelected.
August 19, 2012 at 6:22 PM
Get off the hill and go down to GESAC. The car park is full most of the time. Ask any of the swimmers if they are thinking of liquidated damages. As long as the water is liquid they don’t care. Same with the racetrack. Walk up and down Glenhuntly Rd in Elsternwick or Caulfield South and see what the punters/voters think. They might moan about rate rises but not liquidated damages of the MRC. Try it on your way back to your hill.
August 19, 2012 at 7:02 PM
You obviously don’t get around much anon. Start talking with the locals. Gesac is only one issue and whilst the young might like it there are plenty of others who hate the place and the parking problems. They also hate continual rate rises and a drop in services. That’s what wins elections not the fact that you can go for a swim.
August 19, 2012 at 10:41 PM
Once again Noel give it a rest. And Noel, on your walks around maybe you should do some talking and listening to the punters – the punters are really getting tired of a Council that sprooks marvellous things but does nothing except everything it can to keep residents in the dark. If you can’t see or hear it perhaps vision and hearing checks are in order.
August 19, 2012 at 6:19 PM
Shame you’re bored with this topic Noel, but rather than ridicule the majority of bloggers who aren’t bored, might I suggest you skip reading the blog and go play with your toys.
August 20, 2012 at 11:55 AM
interesting on John C’s comment. Noticed MRC have planted a load of trees on the track to form a hedge in the car park on Normandy Road. Wonder why they are doing this?
August 21, 2012 at 4:48 PM
Anyway wasn’t it interesting the Chairman of the mRC in the article says MRC parking will continue to be in the racecourse!!!!
Also we are now heading for 1500 residences and 15 years!!!
AND LASTLY WHAT ABOUT THE SWAP “NEW PARK” . TO ME THE FENCES ARE A LITTLE UNINVITING… WHAT DOES EVERYONE ELSE THINK?
Let me know if you like them and I’ll have to climb them anyway… I hope a snake doesn’t get me in the grass.