Council’s first disseminated publication on their structure planning process included the map provided here –

It was conveniently described as nothing more than the proposed ‘study area’. Recent publications have shown that nothing could be further from the truth. These ‘study area’ borders are now the ‘new’ borders for the activity centres as confirmed with the Bentleigh, Carnegie and Elsternwick latest version of the ‘concept plans’. What residents were never told and is now clear is that the intention was always to promote further development and to turn areas zoned as Neighbourhood Residential (ie 2 storeys) into sites now available for 3 and 4 storey development. Thus far our tally indicates that hundreds of properties will be so affected in just 3 of these ‘activity centres’. Some even worse – ie 4 storeys to a potential 12 storeys in Carnegie.

Yet, apart from the first map shown above, every other illustration purporting to reveal the overall framework has been along the lines of the following bland, innocuous, and far from revealing portrayal –

Questions on changes to zones were fobbed off. Assurances to residents that there would be no expansion(s) proved untrue. The list goes on and on. Worse still of course is how residents have been fed ‘information’ in dribs and drabs making it extremely difficult to grasp an overview of what is really going on. And this continues even now – ie the latest Planisphere document purports to be an ‘urban design’ yet not a single word is featured on proposed setbacks, and existing schedules to the zones. That critical information is still being held back when it undoubtedly would have featured prominently in any planning thinking.

Further, when other councils can provide maps that are clear and precise, that feature street demarcations that are legible, Glen Eira deliberately avoids such clarity. Better to keep everyone in the dark we suspect until it is too late.