NEWS DESK
Bottle shop plans near train station rejected
CR BRAD Hill looks over Frankston to the South East Water building. Picture: Supplied
Push to move government offices close to home A PUSH to move government departments into Frankston has begun. Frankston councillors have written to state and federal MPs asking them to open discussions to relocate departments to Frankston. Cr Brad Hill said South East Water’s move to the area in 2015 brought an estimated annual economic benefit of $850 million to the municipality. “I acknowledge that both the state and federal governments have delivered some fantastic and much-needed major projects, which have significantly helped to revitalise our city. However, it’s crucial that we focus our attention on how we can support these efforts and create more local jobs,” he said “Box Hill and Dandenong are great examples of other Metropolitan Activity Centres that have prospered as a result of significant state and federal government investment in office spaces – and I believe Frankston deserves the same level of attention. “Frankston has significant capacity to accommodate large government and private sector office
requirements. It has over 14,000 square metres of permitted additional grade a office space with further developments planned. There are also a number of developer-backed sites in the city centre that could accommodate major bespoke office requirements.” Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke said “I have been actively advocating for many years to relocate a government department to Frankston and believe this would be a fantastic opportunity to increase local employment for Frankston.” “I am in discussions with various agencies and departments concerning opportunities which will both benefit our community and employers.” Last week, councillors approved an extension for a permit to build an 11 storey building on the Nepean Highway. A submitter from Echelon Planning, which speaks on behalf of the landowner, told council that the proposed project had been “shortlisted for a major government tenant to move their office into the office building”. Brodie Cowburn
PLANS for a bottle shop on Young Street near the train station have been shot down. The shop was planned for 88 Young Street, directly across the road from the Frankston train station entrance. The proposal to sell liquor at the shop was put to Frankston councillors at their 9 March meeting. A permit was rejected with a 7-2 vote. The proposal put to councillors read that liquor would have been sold at the shop from Monday to Sunday, 11am – 7.30pm. A report prepared by Frankston Council officers read that “Victoria Police have objected to the application” because “the area attracts a large number of police calls for assistance with over half these calls for antisocial behaviour and over a quarter of these calls are for reports of assault. A key driver for this demand for police service is the misuse and abuse of alcohol.” Cr Suzette Tayler said at the meeting “we have a
report from the police telling us that they have a lot of issues at the station.” “Over the last twenty years a lot of residents will remember the hardship we went through with Young Street, safety should be paramount,” she said. Crs Steven and Liam Hughes both voted against the council officer’s recommendation to refuse a permit. Cr Steven Hughes said “pretty much every liquor permit is approved” and that rejecting this one would be “hypocritical”. “The problem we have is we have a small business owner who is struggling to survive, online purchases are eating into his business,” he said. Cr Nathan Conroy said “since we were elected we did not approve any bottle shops in the last four months. We have approved local businesses that have controlled dining experiences, and they’re not in Young Street next to the train station.” Brodie Cowburn
VCAT moves into Frankston A NEW Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal facility has opened in Frankston. VCAT has moved into the office building on Balmoral Street. The site is expected to be primarily used for renting, consumer, and guardianship matters. VCAT president Justice Michelle Quigley said the new site would provide “greater capacity for dispute resolution across the South-East”. “VCAT’s new Frankston venue is an important part of VCAT’s vision to increase access to justice for local communities outside Melbourne’s CBD,” she said. Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said “the new VCAT facility at Frankston will resolve more cases, faster – allowing those who use these
important services to move on with their lives and businesses.” “We know that the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on our courts system, that’s why we’re investing $25 million to boost VCAT’s capacity and upgrade digital systems so more matters can be heard faster,” she said. The VCAT building will also host remote witness facilities for people affected by family violence. Frankston will also be the second VCAT site to feature a Koori hearing room. Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke said “this new VCAT facility, in the heart of Frankston, will give locals easy access to the services they need to settle their dispute in a timely manner.”
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Frankston Times
16 March 2021
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