A new application has just come in for a 14 storey building in Elsternwick –
10-16 Selwyn Street ELSTERNWICK VIC 3185
Proposal: Demoltiion (sic) of existing buildings; Use of the land for office and shop purposes; construction of mutli-storey buildings (up to 14 storeys in height), reduction in statutory car parking requirements and use of the land to sell packaged liqour on land affected by the Heritage Overlay
This is another example of woeful and inadequate planning by Council. Elsternwick does not even have interim height guidelines to provide a modicum of protection until the structure plans are all in place. We can only speculate as to why Elsternwick, a MAJOR ACTIVITY CENTRE, was left in the lurch and not included with the amendments for Bentleigh and Carnegie. Was it because council had already made up its mind that Elsternwick was to be set up as the high rise centre of Glen Eira?
Currently the abutting sites are zoned as RGZ – ie 4 storeys and 13.5 metre mandatory height. The draft structure plans released by council in October continue to make no sense. The current RGZ is proposed to become “heritage and character housing’ of 1 to 2 storeys. All well and good for those dwellings that haven’t been destroyed and are still at this height and not the 4 storey current limit. But what does council now propose – 6-8 storeys abutting 1 and 2 storeys and in a Heritage zone!!!!
We can only hope that the VCAT member has more sense than council’s planners as occurred with the Horne Street application!
Glen Eira Debates 
February 10, 2018 at 1:27 PM
No consideration for properties that will be over shadowed (dwarfed) by such a proposal. Very unfair and getting more and more in favour of the developer and out of hand. Residents have no say. Relying on VCAT to have common sense ? I wouldn’t hold my breath. Distressing and appalling for locals!
February 10, 2018 at 2:09 PM
Same rubbish like with Carnegie’s Chestnut street. Useless bozos
February 10, 2018 at 5:15 PM
Most of the problems go back to the introduction of the zones. When you give developers the sign that heritage means nothing in this council and you zone huge areas for 4 storeys then you’re just asking for trouble. Trying to fix the mess four years later is a thankless task because it’s all too late. Saying that though doesn’t excuse the silly zoning that is now up for decision.
February 12, 2018 at 11:53 AM
14 storeys on top of a few weeks back a 13 storey application. Vcat is going to be very busy with all these Elsternwick proposals while council sits back for another year or two and achieves nothing. The daily planet that was sold will be another monster pretty soon too
February 12, 2018 at 5:53 PM
So much for the NEW councillors bringing some common sense to the debate; this is what happens when you vote for a hairdresser to represent you in a multi million dollar enterprise. You get what you vote for.
February 12, 2018 at 9:55 PM
You’re right the hairdresser just loves the sound of his own voice, there’s nothing much there. He is status quo man, just there to stroke his own ego.
Hyams has got him well and truly under his control, so he weak natured as well. It’s sad to hear his vote yes , vote with the bureaucrat rants pathetically disguised as free will. One thing is for sure, the more apartments built in and around Carnegie the more business he will pick-up and (MODERATORS: rest of sentence deleted)
February 13, 2018 at 9:35 PM
The “draft” structure plans remain a disgrace. They don’t reflect community input. They don’t implement the objectives of planning in Victoria.
I tried asking council officers a lot of questions about their preferred plan and they either wouldn’t or couldn’t answer. There was minimal strategic justification, and now we have a VCAT decision that shows how little thought has been given to seeking 12-storey buildings on lots narrower than 20m blocking almost totally solar access for southerly neighbours.
I expect the usual pathetic rubber stamp at the next Council meeting because they don’t have a Plan B, and the silence from those allegedly representing us is another strong hint. It would be a total travesty if a Minister subsequently approved Amendments without going through the normal Amendment process…just maybe the 2018 State Election will have a bearing on that.
February 14, 2018 at 12:54 AM
The Age classifieds Local Government Sat. Feb. 3
Glen Eira Council invites tenders for
‘Consultancy Services – Property Advisory & Consultancy’
Requirement: Provision of strategic property and land use consultants to assist Council in the preparation, planning and production of feasibility studies and business-cases strategic land use solutions, financial modelling, acquisition and disposal advice and investment and development strategies.
February 14, 2018 at 10:16 AM
Getting ready for the big sell off no doubt