130 Bay St

On Tuesday 21 February, Council will meet to decide on an application to demolish the existing single storey building and to construct a four storey building containing basement and ground level parking, a shop, five dwellings and a communal roof deck. The full report including the officer recommendation can be accessed here. You can see the original building behind the Spanish Mission facade.

Beacon Cove residential areas

Today Amendment C73 to the Port Phillip Planning Scheme was gazetted. Planning control for the residential areas of Beacon Cove is now formally and finally in the hands of the City of Port Phillip. What this means in practice is that people will now apply to Council, rather than Mirvac, for planning approval if they wish to make changes to their houses. Planning applications will be assessed according to the comprehensive guidelines that support amendment C73. Council will be writing to property owners shortly advising them of the change. If you have the appetite for the technical planning information, it is available here. The commercial areas of Beacon Cove will be covered by the Port Melbourne Urban Design Framework, a draft of which will be considered by Council in December.

Notice

Council has received an application from the Bay and Bridge Hotel, formerly Chequers, to operate 29 additonal Electronic Gaming Machines [EGMs]. The hotel needs both approval from the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation and a planning permit from Council. The website of the VCGR provides details of the number of, and expenditure at, EGMs in all venues in Port Phillip.

Silence returns at 3

I'd forgotten how noisy cranes are! Thought it might be a good time to refresh on the days and hours that construction works are permitted: 'Except in case of an emergency, a builder must not carry out building works without first obtaining a permit from Council's Local Laws Section: Monday to Friday: 7.00 am to 6.oo pm; or Saturdays: 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. An after hours building works permit cannot be granted for an appointed public holiday under the Public Holidays Act, 1993.' These requirements accompany any planning permit.

Protecting more of Port's heritage

Monday's Council meeting, to be held in the Port Council chamber from 6pm, is important for Port Melbourne. Over the past few months, Council has been reviewing Heritage Overlay 1 - the heritage overlay that covers a large part of Port Melbourne. It is now proposed that the review be implemented by means of a planning scheme amendment. All affected property owners have been notified of the review and 29 submissions have been received. The review recommends extending the heritage overlay to a further 244 properties and the Turner Reserve, and introducing two new individual heritage overlays for the Port Melbourne Football/Cricket Ground and Edwards Park. It also recommends applying tree controls to the Port Melbourne Light Rail Reserve. A heritage overlay does not mean that properties cannot be altered. It means that a planning permit is required to make changes to properties covered by the overlay, and significant tests are applied to the demolition of dwellings. The full council report, review documents and maps are available from here. If you would like to view a hard copy of any of these documents or to ask any questions about all this, please contact me or attend the Council meeting where your questions are welcome.

City of Port Phillip becomes responsible for future planning at Beacon Cove

Today the Minister for Planning, Matthew Guy, transferred responsibility for future planning of the commercial areas of Beacon Cove to the City of Port Phillip through the gazettal of Amendment C105. The Minister had been the responsible authority for planning in this area until now. The gazetted area includes the area generally known as Waterfront Place [including 1-11 Waterfront Place] and the restaurants. The explanatory report and map of the area can be accessed here.

Next Monday's Council meeting is at Port

Another step towards Council taking planning responsibility for the residential areas of Beacon Cove

On Monday evening, 11 July, Council will consider a report and recommendation to adopt Amendment C73 to the Port Phillip Planning Scheme and to submit the amendment to the Minister for Planning for approval. Amendment C73 translates the covenants on the residential properties of Beacon Cove into planning controls that will be administered by the City of Port Phillip. The report is accompanied by detailed design principles for the estate as a whole, and guidelines for the sub-precincts within it. The intention of the guidelines is to protect the character of Beacon Cove which is so valued by people living there. This work has been several years in preparation, and the outcome reflects a high level of cooperation between the Beacon Cove community and Council. The full reports and attachments are available here or from the Council meeting page on the links list on the right hand menu.

Nott St planning applications

Council will consider two planning applications for Nott St, between Beach and Rouse St, at the Statutory Planning meeting on Monday 20th. The applications are for 19 to 25 Nott St and for 41 Nott St. Both applications are for 6 level buildings. The Council meeting is on Monday evening at St Kilda Town Hall at 6pm. These are the only planning applications on the agenda so they will be considered straight away. The report can be accessed from here.

Naval Drill Hall - Circus Oz at 40 Bay St

Following the recent announcement in the state budget of funding for Circus Oz's move to Collingwood, people have been inquiring about the planning controls for this site.

• The building is on the Victorian Heritage Register [Ref No H1378] - which means that a planning permit would be required for any demolition and/or development from Heritage Victoria.




• The site is located in the Mixed Use Zone [MUZ] of Port Melbourne and is covered by a heritage overlay and a range of other development controls




• With the exception of the north east corner, the site is covered by DDO1-2B which permits an absolute maximum height of 4 storeys on this site. The remaining small section to the north east has a height limit of 6 storeys although this would be virtually impossible to achieve on the site given the heritage constraints




• All this suggests that any new development would have to work pretty much within the existing building - though some new openings may be appropriate




• There are no current planning permit applications for the site

Protecting Port's heritage

I am so pleased the Council is reviewing the heritage overlay for Port Melbourne - known as HO1. Heritage overlays are a mechanism in the planning scheme to protect heritage values. For example: in a heritage overlay, a permit is required for the demolition of a building and there are strict tests as to whether a permit will be issued. If there is no heritage overlay, a permit for demolition is not required and other provisions in the planning scheme such as Rescode come into play.
The review currently underway is reviewing past studies and doing a walking review of the areas covered by the overlay to see what has changed since the last study in 1995. The review will also consider whether areas should be added to the overlay. The outcome of the process will be a more rigorous and soundly based underpinning for the overlay which will better stand up to challenge.

The real estate sign in Evans St advertises 'No heritage overlay' suggesting the house is available for redevelopment

The future of Fishermans Bend

The announcement by the Minister for Planning, Matthew Guy, about Fishermans Bend as the site for a new residential suburb has been the talk of the day.
The City of Port Phillip is still seeking clarification about the boundaries of the suggested area designated for urban renewal.
As you would know, the land between Williamstown Road and the Westgate freeway is part of the City of Port Phillip, whereas the area on the other side of the freeway is part of the City of Melbourne.
Is the Minister referring to Fishermans Bend in the City of Melbourne, or in the City of Port Phillip or both?
Please click here to read the City of Port Phillip's response to the announcement.

'$5,000 a sq m for coal depot'

'The historic former Morley's Coal Depot and Trading Post headquarters in Port Melbourne has been sold for $6 million. The vacant building and the nearby Gasworks* were sold by Colliers International's Pat Burke and Jeremy Gruzewski. The price equated to more than $5,000 a square metre.' The Age, Wednesday February 2, 2011

Refer to an earlier post on Port Focus for an overview of the planning controls for this site by clicking here.

* I am not sure what this refers to - can anyone help me?

Port items on the agenda

Council meetings resume on Monday 31 January at St Kilda Town Hall. The agenda includes two Port Melbourne planning related items:

• to request the Minister for Planning to introduce interim planning [height] controls for 1 - 11 Waterfront Place, Port Melbourne for a period of 2 years while the Port Melbourne Urban Design Framework is undertaken. Click here to view the Council report
• to consider Council's position on the development at 95 - 119 Dow St. Click here to read the Council report

The Council will also consider its response to the recent floods across the country. The meetings are open to the public and begin at 6 pm.

Port Houses

I have started a companion blog to Port Focus. It's called Port Houses. The blindingly obvious thought struck me that when a house is demolished, it is gone forever. So Port Houses is dedicated to acknowledging the houses that disappear from Port Melbourne, and the new ones that are built, and the houses that are changed substantially from their original form.
Port Houses contains lots of planning links and resources, but what I am most interested in are the stories of these houses. This is where you can help me. You may know the story of a house near you or have a picture of one.

Start again

VCAT was very critical of the development proposal for 502 - 518 Williamstown Road and ordered that no permit be issued. Basically, they directed the applicant to go back to the drawing board. Council had recommended a conditioned approval for the development proposal.

The proposal for 32 three storey dwellings was described as 'overly ambitious' and a 'poor site response in terms of the intended car parking arrangements and the extent to which the new built form will involve high and imposing external walls built out or close to the boundaries'.

87 to 101 Bay St - Nott St side

Follow this link to see what the development at 87 to 101 Bay St will look like on Nott St. The site runs through from Bay St to Nott St.

Review previous posts to read the planning history on this site by putting '87 to 101 Bay St' in the search box of Port Focus.

corner of Rouse St and Esplanade West

After a long period of neglect, this unusual house at 51 Esplanade West is being prepared for demolition.

There is a permit on the site for four, three storey townhouses.

You can check the planning permit register for this, or other sites, by going to http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/planning_building.htm

502 - 518 Williamstown Road

The application for this site goes to Council for a decision on Monday 15 November. The application is for 32, 2 and 3 storey dwellings.

The applicant has lodged an Application for Review with VCAT. The Council still needs to make a decision on the application and advise VCAT and objectors of its decision prior to the hearing. You will find the report going to Council here

The Council meeting starts at 6 pm at the St Kilda Town Hall and this is the first item on the agenda.

95 - 117 Dow St

At the meeting held to talk about this development, these concerns were expressed:

• increase in the number of dwellings from 69 to 121* and consequent increase in parking and traffic impacts
• traffic movements in Little Dow St and the surrounding road network
• carparking
• waste management
• interfaces with houses on Graham St backing onto Little Dow St, and interfaces with the Bayview building
• equipment and services on top of the building - and noise generation from them
• overlooking and overshadowing
• deliveries and removal vans

* 51 one bedroom, 70 two bedroom

All these matters will be taken into consideration by the planner in assessing the application according to the Port Phillip Planning Scheme and making a recommendation to Council.
In addition, people raised concerns about the present operation of Little Bay St and Little Dow St. I will take up these concerns at Council.

Bay and Beach St

Since the 'For Sale' sign appeared on the former Morley's Coal Depot, people have been wondering [and worrying] about what its future might be.

It is a significant heritage property in the Port Phillip Planning Scheme with its own citation which reads:
'The former Morley's Coal Depot is of local significance. It is associated with the prominent early local citizen and first Chairman of Sandridge Borough Council William Morley.'
[source City of Port Phillip Heritage Review Citation No: 689]


This is of particular interest in this 150th year since Sandridge was proclaimed a municipality.
It is covered by Design and Development Overlay 1-1b which provides

• Less than 5 m from any road boundary: Preferred maximum height 10.5 m [3 storeys], absolute maximum height 13.5 m [4 storeys]
• 5 m or more from any road boundary: Preferred maximum height 13.5 m [4 storeys], absolute maximum height [4 storeys]

The outcome sought is 'An open view of sky exists when looking towards the Bay from Bay St at its northern intersection with Rouse St and new development is not visible above the roofline of any building fronting Bay St'

In other words, very strong planning controls apply to this site.