PS: The latest figures for planning permits for the third quarter (January to March 2018) were released today. Glen Eira has granted permits for 1002 net new dwellings in the space of nine months. The figures for Bayside and Stonnington are not yet available. Still way ahead of council’s prognostications and hence continues to throw major doubt on council’s planning and the justifications provided.
The following interview took place on Triple R yesterday morning.
Glen Eira Debates 
May 1, 2018 at 11:24 AM
Council officers have been present at the “consultation” sessions I attended, but only the occasional stray councillor. Despite vociferous feedback there is still no plan to fix the broken Municipal Strategic Statement. Council voted for the structure plans without evidence that anything built to their proposed envelopes would comply with amenity standards—ResCode and/or Apartment Developments standards.
Traffic modelling wasn’t done for the targetted areas. Despite social housing being part of State Planning Policy, it remains unenforceable. I doubt 12 storeys will be the maximum height either. Once Council/VCAT decides that a development doesn’t have to comply with standards, the strategic justification for height limits is lost. None of us have seen details of proposed Amendments, only that Council wants some changes to be made via the notorious S20(4) power.
Council has had great difficulty explaining their decisions, reinforcing my view that they were rushed into it and weren’t ready.
May 1, 2018 at 1:33 PM
The residents are correct. Council has not listened or justified any aspect of their draft plans. The only concession has been to lower the Bentleigh heights from 8 to 5 storeys. Why this should be the case is open to speculation of course. Perhaps because of community opposition, but this same argument should apply to the poor Elsternwick residents who have mounted a strong campaign. My gut feeling is that everything boils down to politics. Bentleigh is a very marginal seat. My thinking is that maybe this is payback to the Labor government for favours done and for more favours about to be announced. Council’s silence on so many important issues that work against the community is no accident.