Public park project plans progress A PUBLIC park on Evelyn Street is one step closer to fruition. A contract worth just over $1.2 million has been awarded for necessary construction works. LJM Construction Australia will undertake the project. The projected total cost of the project is just over $1.57 million. The works will cost $130,000 more to ratepayers than council initially budgeted for. The shortfall will be incorporated into the mid-year budget review. The state government is putting in $1.3 million for the park revitalization.
Frankston Council came close to selling the land to the Department of Justice in 2019, but backed down (“Sale of Evelyn Street open space stopped”, The Times, 11/6/19).
LAND on Evelyn Street which will soon be converted into a public park. Picture: Gary Sissons
OVERPORT Road residents Bruce and Anneke opposed plans to build a childcare centre on their street. Picture: Supplied
Residents win fight against childcare proposal A PROPOSAL to build a childcare centre on Overport Road has been rejected. Developer ASL had applied to build a childcare centre at 137 Overport Road. The plan angered residents, with 279 objections submitted to council. Last week Frankston councillors unanimously voted to reject a permit for the developer. The decision defied the recommendation of council officers to approve the permit. The developer had previously applied for a permit to build a childcare centre on the site, which was rejected at VCAT. Council officers wrote that the new amended plans were “considered con-
sistent with the neighbourhood character policy, significant landscape overlay.” Frankston councillors disagreed, eventually approving an alternate motion which read that the development is contrary to the Frankston planning scheme “due to its poor response to the character of the area and amenity impacts to neighbours”. Traffic was also a concern, with councillors citing “additional noise and congestion in a court location which already has parking restrictions and already experiences significant congestion in mornings and afternoons” as a reason for the refusal. Cr Brad Hill said “we have had an overwhelming response from our lo-
cal residents and I want to be clear, my alternate motion is not solely according to that response. It isn’t all about weight of numbers and what is popular. I’ve lived in the area for over 20 years and the stretch of Overport Road where Derinya Primary School is has been a traffic nightmare for a long time, and I don’t need a traffic report to understand traffic in that area. It’s quite heavy.” “This area is chockers and I think you wouldn’t have to go too much further to find an area which is accommodating,” he said At a future briefing, council will look into ways to prevent the developer from coming back with a similar proposal. Brodie Cowburn
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23 November 2021
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