Download RAID@3051 submission_New Residential Zones for the City of

P.O. Box 2007 Hotham Hill
Victoria 3051
4 May 2014
Mr David Mayes
Manager Strategic Planning
City of Melbourne
City Planning & Infrastructure
PO Box 1603
MELBOURNE VIC 3001
Dear David,
RE – PROPOSED NEW PLANNING ZONES IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE
As you may be aware, Residents About Integrated Development @3051 is a group of North
Melbourne residents and business people who are actively working with council and other
community groups to seek the best possible outcomes for planning and development in North
Melbourne and nearby areas. While we do not claim to speak for the entire North Melbourne
community, we have many members and speak for a sizeable and concerned proportion of that
community.
The Process
RAID members attended two briefing sessions to gain some insight into the implications of the New
Residential Zones proposed for the City of Melbourne, the first on March 27th at the North Melbourne
Town Hall, the in April, organised by the North & West Melbourne Association.
From the RAID point of view neither session provided the clarity we seek as to the rationale for of the
City of Melbourne Officers recommending no allocation of the Neighbourhood Residential Zone in
favour of the General Residential Zone. This of concern to us.
The CoM Officers advised at the meetings that in their view the proposed changes are a ‘policy
neutral’ outcome and that the existing controls, such as the MSS; local policies such as heritage and
urban design, and Heritage overlays for individual properties and streetscapes, will protect areas
currently zoned Residential 1,. RAID is doubtful that this is adequate, since having these controls in
place has not prevented past inappropriate developments and cannot see such controls having
certain effect in the future.
The Supreme Court has recently determined (Boroondara City Council v 1045 Burke Road Pty Ltd
[2014] VSC 127 ) that the Tribunal was entitled to take into account all relevant considerations when
determining to allow the demolition of a heritage building. This fundamentally weakens and
undermines the controls are in place to protect inappropriate development, which is again a major
concern for RAID and its members.
The Inner City Context
Large parts of North and West Melbourne are presently zoned Residential Zone 1 (RZ1). This would
logically translate to NRZ under the current proposals. RZN limits housing growth and density, and
allows for predominately single dwellings. It also includes a mandatory maximum building height of 8
P.O. Box 2007 Hotham Hill
Victoria 3051
metres for residential buildings. There is presently latitude for CoM decision makers to increase or
decrease building height under RNZ. This is the category that other surrounding inner city
municipalities have assigned their valuable housing stock to, in many cases to the vast majority of it.
RAID believes that the CoM proposal is at odds with the approach of these neighbouring Councils and
there is no satisfactory justification to explain this. We cannot understand why the heritage areas in
the City of Melbourne are viewed so differently from similar areas in the city of Yarra, Port Phillip and
the Moonee Valley.
Currently the City of Melbourne is carrying the load of increased population growth in the inner city .
This cannot continue without loss of amenity without increased investment in urgently needed
infrastructure such as better public transport and cycling links, primary and secondary schools, aged
care and childcare facilities, kindergartens, recreational facilities and open space. RAID @ 3051 Inc
formed as a residents group to raise such issues in the context of the Woolworths (over) development
in North Melbourne. Now that it has been approved this has set a precedent for the area which is
likely to be replicated over and over again. The impact of such developments will hugely increase the
demand for the social infrastructure that we mention above and which is yet to be provided.
Additionally, developers are currently taking advantage of uncertainty. The new planning proposal
for 1 Shiel St, North Melbourne. RAID objected to an initial original application for a 6 storey
development on the site in 2013. This was subsequently approved. Now a new application for a 10
storey development to a height more than double the Arden Macaulay Structure Plan guidelines
metres is being proposed! The rationale by the applicant is that this will enable other developers to
build to similar heights, which is precisely why RAID objected to the original proposal!
Proposal
RAID contends that the City of Melbourne must move quickly to identify Neighbourhood Residential
Zones for all areas that are currently zoned Residential Zone 1 (RZ1).
RAID trusts that this proposal will be supported in the recommendation to Councillors in June.
Yours sincerely
Peter Hogg
Chair
RAID @3051 Inc.