Monday, 10 November 2014

Future of Planning in Coburg

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Council will be voting on Amendment C123 on Wednesday 12 November (7pm Brunswick Town Hall).  This is our FINAL chance to influence Councillors as they vote on the future of Coburg. The decision by Council next Wednesday night will change the face of Coburg forever.

Council will be voting on the Council Officer’s report responding to the recommendations from Planning Panel Victoria.  A copy of the Council report is attached.  The full Council agenda is available on Moreland Council’s website (http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/about-council/council-and-committee-meetings/council-meetings/agenda-next-council-meeting.html) and contains the full report from Planning Panel Victoria and a further report from Council officers justifying recommendations to Council.

In December 2013 Council listened to residents’ concerns and while their decisions did not go far enough for Save Coburg, they are decisions that we need Council to continue to support.

Recommendations going forward to Council on Wednesday include the following and reverse several decisions made by Council following lobbying by residents:

•       Maximum heights: Revert to the originally exhibited maximum overall heights - 10 storeys.
•       Discretionary heights:  Provide discretion to vary maximum heights.
•       Reduced environmental standards: Revise the ESD requirement to define ‘best practice’ and to replace references to 6 Star Green Star (world leader) with 4 Star Green Star (best practice) for larger developments.
•       Removal of requirement for affordable housing: Revise the requirements for affordable and accessible housing to ‘encourage’ affordable and accessible housing and remove the proportional requirements.
•       Exemption from Third Party appeal rights: Exempt proposals from third party notice and review rights unless the proposal is within 30 metres of a residential zone or land used for a hospital or education centre and if the preferred heights, setbacks and interface treatments are not complied with.

The report from Planning Panel Victoria noted that council resolved to reduce the building heights in sub-precincts from those exhibited in 2012 in "response to community concerns".

Planning Panel Victoria dismissed residents' concern as a justifiable reason for reducing maximum heights and recommended heights that heights should remain as those exhibited. 

The Planning Panel members do not live in Coburg. Our views about Coburg should count.

We need residents to re-contact our Councillors to request that they maintain their original decisions of December 2013 as well as reinstate thrid party notice and appeal rights to be consistent with the Brunswick Structure Plan. 

We also need as many residents as possible to attend the Council meeting on Wednesday to voice your concerns:


Regards,

Save Coburg Residents’ Network.

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