Frankston
10-13 MARCH MORNINGTON RACECOURSE • Caravans & Campers • Motorhomes • Boats • Fishing Gear • 4x4 • Metal Detectors •Travel & Adventure • Food & Wine • Camping Gear • Demos
DOWNLOAD 3MP FROM THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY
An independent voice for the community Your weekly community newspaper covering Frankston, Frankston South, Karingal, Langwarrin and Seaford
FREE
greatoutdoorexpos.com.au
Tuesday 7 March 2023
For all advertising and editorial needs, call 03 5974 9000 or email: team@baysidenews.com.au www.baysidenews.com.au
Message arises
An inflatable blimp carrying a message opposing high-rise developments near the Frankston foreshore was flown last month. A 14-storey building has been approved on Nepean Highway (inset). Pictures: Supplied
Residents fear a ‘great wall’ is coming Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au THE fate of a proposed high-rise building with 200 apartments on the Nepean Highway looks set to be decided by VCAT after Frankston Council failed to consider the matter within a prescribed timeframe. The proposal for 438-444 Nepean Highway was announced by the developer in March last year. Developer Pace said “our vision for the site is to design, construct and deliver approximately 200 apartments for the modern Mornington downsizer.” Frankston Council did not end up making a decision on the plans. The
mayor Nathan Conroy has now confirmed that the developer has lodged an application for the matter to be considered by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal instead. More than 2000 residents have signed a petition opposing proposed large scale developments along Nepean Highway. The petition has been circulating since January - it calls for Frankston councillors to stop a “great wall of Frankston” forming between the city centre and the foreshore. The outcry was sparked by Frankston Council’s approval of plans for a 14 storey tower at 446-450 Nepean Highway, the former site of the Pint and Pickle restaurant. The proposal, titled Harbour Frankston, was voted through 5 votes to
4 at a council meeting in November last year. That decision has since been appealed to VCAT by objectors. Protesters against the plan gathered at the front of the South East Water building last Tuesday, 28 February. The event was organised by the Kananook Creek Association. Attendees brought signs protesting plans to develop along Nepean Highway. Kananook Creek Association acting chairman Rob Thurley said “Frankston Council has reluctantly cleared the pathway for the building of stage two of the great wall on our waterfront.” “The future of Frankston’s waterfront is now in the hands of a small, penniless volunteer group which will challenge these developments in
VCAT - unless the planning minister intervenes,” he said. “This is a real David and Goliath battle - a small band of grandfathers and grandmothers of Frankston against all the power that big money can buy. “How can building a dirty great Berlin Wall right along our waterfront precinct, separating the town centre from our greatest natural assets, ever reconcile with the community vision to be the lifestyle capital of Victoria? “Stage one of the great wall of Frankston was constructed a decade ago with the building of the controversial South East Water head office. At least this current battle is out in the open. The sale of the council-owned block of land on Kananook Creek
Boulevard was shrouded in secrecy.” The five councillors who voted through the Harbour project were Suzette Tayler, Nathan Conroy, Brad Hill, Kris Bolam, and David Asker. Before voting through the plan, Brad Hill acknowledged that the future of the project would almost certainly be decided at VCAT (“Approval for huge 14-storey tower in Frankston”, The Times, 28/11/22). Frankston mayor Nathan Conroy is standing by the decision. He said that “to achieve its full potential, Frankston needs to evolve into a more economically diverse, high-amenity and integrated city centre with a range of housing options.” Continued page 3