C1Zone: CoM confirms our concerns about forced Planning Changes

The Melbourne City Council has responded in part of our concerns in relation to the forced changed to Melbourne's Planning Zones.  The Council no longer has the means and tools to regulate and protect residential amenity in local shopping strips. Effectively making Melbourne's Planning scheme defunct.

Earlier Melbourne's Chair of Planning, Cr Ken Ong, denied that there was an impact.

The decison of VCAT hearing on an application for a Licensed premises/Night Club at 157-159   highlighted the impact of the  recent changes. Under the new C1Z zones Licensed premises no longer require a planning permit for use.


The proliferation of restaurants and licensed premises only serves to undermine the stated aim and objective of the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS), Clause 21.08, Economic Development states:

There is a need to support the provision of local shops to serve the residential and working communities in local centres. A proliferation of eating and entertainment uses should not undermine the character and range of services offered in these local centres.

An objective is to support the Central City and local retail uses. A related strategy is:

Ensure that a proliferation of eating and entertainment establishments in local centres does not undermine the viability of their convenience retailing.

We would like to draw your attention to item 27 of the VACT determination which states: (Emphasis added)

A significant difficulty in implementing this strategy is the fact that the use of the land for a restaurant is not subject to a planning permit, given the Commercial 1 zoning of the land.
Under the provisions of the previously existing Business 1 zoning, there existed the ability to specify in the Schedule land upon which a restaurant use could not be established without a permit.
The Council had not nominated any land within the municipality in the Schedule.
With the change of zone, the ability to include this requirement has disappeared.  As no permit is required for the use, it is difficult to understand how the strategy relating to the ‘proliferation’ of eating establishments can be implemented in a land use sense. 
The regulatory tools necessary to give effect to the Council’s aspirations for this centre, as expressed in this specific strategy, do not form part of the suite of controls which apply in this case.

Q-Vic Market land grab on the rise

The proposal for the redevelopment of the Queen Victoria Market site released today is more or less the same as before. No alteration.

Whilst the Council claims it is undertaking community consultation the fact is they are pushing ahead with their preferred option, funded by a developer land grab

The proposed hiving off of land and the extension of Franklin Street is huge mistake and short term thinking. They just wasted 3 million dollars destroying La Trobe street now they want to redirect that traffic past the market's southern edge, along Franklin Street and past the City Baths causing a major traffic problem at the intersection of Franklin and Victoria Streets. (The area of Franklin Street, between Swanston Street and Victoria Street, should be closed off and handed over to RMIT to develop as outdoor urban community space.)

The reduction in available land on the southern side of the market is also a lost opportunity.  This site could accommodate low-rise lane shopping development and a stepped roof-top outdoor plaza with coffee shops and community entertainment spaces and an underground car park that would enhance the market precinct and allow for staged development.
 
The development of a high rise tower block on the southern end will loom over the market and limit its potential as a real vibrant community space,

If they need Money for the project than ask the State Government to payback the $50 Million that Jeff Kennett acquired from the Council  for the Federation Square project,  the value of which no longer appears on the council assets register.

Engineering Congestion: La Trobe Street Bike Path Risk to Public Safety

The City of Melbourne has published a post Implementation report on the La Trobe Street "Copenhagen" style bike lane.

The report shows a 25% reduction on vehicular traffic throughput since La Trobe Street has been reduced to a single lane road. Congestion in the city has increased and public safety has declined with the number of bicycle accidents on the rise.   

The independent report on road safety, which normally is undertaken prior to implementation, has highlighted a number of deficiencies in the City Engineering Services and Traffic Management departments

Engineering services failed to undertake a survey of business and residents effected by  La Trobe Street proposal.  This has further undermined confidence in the Councils consultation review process, which Councillors Leppert and Oak claim to have been extensive.  Well it would be of you consider holding a serious of discussion of forums in coffee shops with bicycle users to constitute consultation.  

The planning., design and implementation of Melbourne's Bike paths has been subject to ongoing criticism that the City of Melbourne is Engineering Congestion and had failed to give due and proper consideration to alternatives designs.  Instead of constructing over priced Copenhagen style separated bike lanes the Council should have developed bike lanes that utilized less congested streets that provide a higher degree of cyclist safety

The La Tobe Street bike lane has proved to be complete disaster in planning, design and implementation and is a serious public safety risk for motorists and cyclist alike. Commuters parked along  La Trobe Street are at risk with little room for passengers to alight from vehicles run the risk of collision with cyclists, The disabled, elderly and families the most disadvantaged.

With the reduction of traffic lanes and poorly designed interfaces at intersections cyclist safety is at greater risk. The number of serious accidents involving cyclists has increased since the new bike lane has been installed. up from 36 accidents over a five-year period with 9 recorded in the sevcn months since the bike lane was installed. An increase of 200% up from a ratio of 0.6 to 1.2 accidents a month.
 
Mr Geoff Robinson, Manager of Engineering Services, was unable to say where the reduction in traffic volumes has been displaced. When questioned by Deputy Lord Mayor, Susan Riley, Mr Robinson confessed that his department had not surveyed or consulted residents and businesses in La Trobe Street as part of the review

Earlier last year the City Council rejected a proposal by Crs Richard Foster and Jackie Watts to undertake a comprehensive review of the design and implementation of the Copenhagen Bike lanes, The Lord Mayor Robert Doyle claiming that La Trobe Street was a success despite evidence to the contrary.

Council may have to face facts and either pull out the bike path or remove car parking in La Trobe Street so as to allow for two lanes of traffic.

Melbourne-Saint Petersburg Sister City Relationship saved

Melbourne City Council tonight voted overwhelming to maintain the Melbourne-Saint Petersburg, Russia Sister City Relationship

Councillor Rohan Leppert, who originally championed the cancellation or suspension of the Sister City relationship,  was forced to back down in the face of opposition from not only the Melbourne and Australian Community but also the Russian LGBTI Community.

Councillor Leppert had jumped on the bandwagon of the gay lobby group who called for the City Council to cancel its relations for what they claimed were human rights abuses in Russia. 

Councillor Leppert failed to recognize that the Russian legislation that was the focus of his attention was aimed at banning promotion of gay sex involving children.  "Pedophilia Tourism" is a major concern in Russia, with cashed up Westerners traveling to Russia looking to pay for child sex. that even those in Western democracies would find abhorrent and offensive. The Russian legislation made it illegal to promote such activities. something the Western media failed to mention or down played when they reported on this issue 

Members of the Russian LGBTI community wrote to the City of Melbourne urging them to not cancel the Sister City Relationship as it would not be in their best interest .  It was reported during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic in an interview with a gay club in Sochi that the only harassment they had experienced was from the Western Media seeking interviews.


Better to be inside the tent then outside

Thanks to Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle and other City Councillors, common sense prevailed and the Leppert/Greens motion was thwarted.

Melbourne is the only city in the Southern hemisphere that has a Sister City agreement with Saint Petersburg. This relationship is more valuable to us then it is to Russia.  Had Melbourne sought to suspend the relationship Russia would have cancelled it, and rightfully so,

Discussion with the department of Foreign Affairs and Trade highlighted the inappropriateness for Melbourne to suspend the relationship. Melbourne Sister City relationship is a vehicle to promote cultural and economic exchange It is not there to push Geo-political issues or to lecture St Petersburg what they should and should not do or for us to push our values on another State.

Leppert's sincerity brought into question.

If Rohan Leppert and others were sincere about their concern of alleged Human Rights abuse against the LGBTI community, why single out St Petersburg?  Arizona and Kansas in the United States have more direct discriminatory legislation in place and yet we do not hear Rohan Leppert calling for the suspension or cancellation of Melbourne-Boston Sister City Relationship or the relationship with China as a result of Human Rights abuse in Tibet or Japan for hunting Wales in the antarctic region.

Rohan Leppart has an obligation to represent all of Melbourne and not just his own personal sectional interests.

What was also telling was that Green Councillors Rohan Leppert and Cathy Oak failed to consult or consider the impact of their proposal on the Melbourne Russian speaking community who are very proud of the relationship between the two cities and who want to help foster greater understanding and cultural ties.  Nowhere in Rohan Leppert thinking did he consider their needs or aspirations.

The City of Melbourne is celebrating 25 years since the signing of the Melbourne Sister City Relationship. Instead of helping develop and fostering the relationship Rohan Leppert was quick to discard it and embark on another round of cold war, anti-Russian, Geo-political chest beating, so he can grab a few cheap headlines and pander to what he perceives is he is constituency. Cr Leppert forgets that his obligations, as an elected councillor, is to represent the interests for Melbourne as a whole.

Please do not rain on our Parade and City Pride

Thank god common sense prevailed and Rohan Leppert failed to receive the support he once thought he had. Instead of raining on the parade we can now embrace Melbourne St Petersburg 25 year Sister City relationship and learn from each other without sexual politics interfering.



Facts ignored by Rohan Leppert

Is being gay a crime in Russia?
No. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1993.
But why are homosexuals being punished?
A law was passed earlier this summer that levies a fine of up to 50,000 rubles (about $1,500 dollars) on any individuals, and  up to 1 million rubles (about $30,000) on any organizations engaged in “propaganda of non-traditional relationships to minors”.

The City of Melbourne Planning Scheme is in tatters. A fire brigade without a hose or a truck

The City of Melbourne has failed its first major test before the Victorian Civil Appeals Tribunal with the advice given to Council by officers proven to be false and the Council left dumfounded and embarrassed by not paying due and proper attention to this issue well before now

Recent Ministerial changes to the State Planing Scheme made by Matthew Guy have resulted in the City of Melbourne no longer able to control development within the city boundaries instead we have a free for all where the market is allowed to rage unchecked and out of control

The decision of VCAT to grant a planning permit for the establishment of a licenced cafe and restaurant at 157-159 Domain Road, South Yarra. - PERMIT APPLICATION NO. TP-2012-388 had demonstrated that the Council Strategic Statement is worthless.
Background

Recent amendments to the Victorian Planning Scheme have resulted in licenced premises (Taverns, Pubs Restaurants and Pokie venues) which fall under the board definition of Retail Premises, no longer requiring a planning permit for use in a Commercial 1 Zone. (CZ1).  The City of Melbourne and a host of other inner city municipalities have been caught out by the changes which have a detrimental impact on inner city residential amenity.

 A commercial business premises now has an "as of right' use to establish a night club. Tavern. Bar or licenced restaurant within a CZ1 zone without a planning permit regulating its use.

The recommendation to remove licened premises from the definition of Retail premises, if adopted and implemented. would subject all licenced premises to a proper planning process and help restore public confidence.


The City of Melbourne needs to consider a Supreme Court challenge of the ruling of the Victorian Administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT)

The proposed development in Domian Road undermines the terms and provisions of the Melbourne Planning Scheme

Clause 21.08, “Economic Development”. states: There is a need to support the provision of local shops to serve the residential and working communities in local centres. A proliferation of eating and entertainment uses should not undermine the character and range of services offered in these local centres.

A stated objective under the Melbourne Planning Scheme is to support the Central City and local retail uses. A related strategy is: Ensure that a proliferation of eating and entertainment establishments in local centres does not undermine the viability of their convenience retailing

The South Yarra Domain Road precinct is listed as area of stability with minimal potential for new development, and notes that residential amenity to date has been maintained and the area’s historic character and features have been preserved

The Melbourne Strategic Statement aims to ensure Domain Road shopping area maintains its role for convenience shopping, neighbourhood facilities and as a neighbourhood focus

The City of Melbourne policy framework identifies the Domain Road shopping area as one of the municipality’s local centres. Policy seeks to have this centre maintain its role for convenience shopping and as a neighbourhood focus. Policy also seeks to ensure that a proliferation of eating and entertainment establishments does not undermine the viability of the centre’s convenience retailing

A significant difficulty in implementing this strategy is the fact that the use of the land for a restaurant is no longer subject to a planning permit, given the Commercial 1 zoning of the land. Under the provisions of the previously existing Business 1 zoning, there existed the ability to specify in the Schedule land upon which a restaurant use could not be established without a permit. The Council had not nominated any land within the municipality in the Schedule. With the change of zone, the ability to include this requirement has disappeared.

As no permit is required for the use, it is difficult to understand how the strategy relating to the ‘proliferation’ of eating establishments can be implemented in a land use sense. The regulatory tools necessary to give effect to the Council’s aspirations for this centre, as expressed in this specific strategy, do not form part of the suite of controls which apply in this case.

The granting of the permit pursuant to the revised planning scheme undermines public confidence in the administration and implementation of planning with-in the City of Melbourne

Changes to the Planning Scheme required to wind back the Guy amendments

The City of Melbourne need to as a matter of urgency review the current zoning of the Domain Road, South Yarra precinct with the view of having it rezoned as a “Mixed Use" Zone in which case licenced premises and restaurants and taverns can once again be subject to proper planning controls


- The Melbourne South Yarra Group has invited the Labor Candidate or the State seat of Melbourne Neil Pharaoh to address residents concerns on planning within the City of Melbourne at its Annual General Meetings scheduled for March 2014

Engineering and Planning Disaster for the Domain

The City of Melbourne Engineering Services and Planning continue to demonstrate their incometance.

VCAT had overturned the City Council refusal to grant a planning permit to 157-159 Domain Road

Domain Road retail precinct is supposed to service tegh need of the local residential community yet it is under pressure by developers who which to push out local retail and establish restaurants. night clubs and cafes.   The proposed development on Domain Road, where the former post office and news agent were located, is for three story building with cafe on the ground floor and two restaurants, one on each floor above the cafe, The proposed developed is expected to generate demand for over 160 car parking spots

Engineering Services Manager, Geoff Robinson, recommended that car parking provisions be waived for the development, A proposal that was overturned by the elected council,  There is barley a car park free in the area as it is, let alone the ability to meet demand imposed by the new development.  Surveys undertaken by residents on a Friday night showed their was 7 car parking spots available on Birwood Avenue  some 3-400 meters from the Domain site.

How Engineering Services came up with this recommendation is anyone's guess.  The recommendation by Engineering Services to waive car parking influenced the VCAT determination.

Questions are being asked about the integrity of the City's Engineering Services branch.

Adding to residents s the recent changes to teh Planning Scheme that re-classified the Domain Road precinct from Business one zone to Commercial one Zone.  Under the new Zone a licenced premises does not need a planning permit for its use. 

Geoff Lawler, Director of Planning was oblivious to the impact of the changes until questions were raised by residents.   It has been proven that the changes are having a negative impact as VCAT decision granting a planning was based on the new planning zone changes undermines the objectives of the Melbourne Planning Scheme.

The only saving grace is that the project as it stands is economically not viable.  The owner hoes to attract in excess of $800,000 per year in rent. Something that is highly unlikely to see a return for any investor   There are a number of conditions on the planning permit that impact on its use most notably the above ground restaurants can only sell alcohol between 5PM and 11,30PM

The maximum noise level as measured from the center of the external court and balconies can not be allowed to exceed 3Db nor will the be allowed to serve drinks on the footpath  no restaurant or cafe could remain viable under these conditions let alone command such a high rent.  The owner will without doubt be back seeking a review and remove of these constrictions. But this time they will  not be incumbered with issues of use and planning thanks to the State Governments planning scheme revisions and the failure of the City of Melbourne to object to the reclassification of this precinct to Commercial one zone.

City should be bigger - Kennett and Proust opposed by Doyle

Calls for a Greater City of Melbourne supported by Melbourne former CEO Elizabeth Proust and Jeff Kennett yet rejected by Robert Doyle

In an article published in the Age newspaper, that skims across the issue, both Elizabeth Proust and Jeff Kennett called for Melbourne to expand

Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle, desperate to hang on to his power base threatened violence by stating he would violently oppose the move.

Jeff Kennett former,Victorian Premier 1992 to 1999 who Robert Doyle as the State member for Malvern served under, would not be drawn into outlining boundaries said the City of Melbourne should be bigger.

Jeff Kennett was responsible for the reduction in the size of the City of Melbourne back in 1993 when the City lost a sizable part of its former boundaries to the North.  Mergers of other inner city coucnils took place leaving Melbourne a small shell of what it should be.

Prior to winning office Jeff Kennett opportunistically opposed moves by Labor's Cain Government to merge Local Councils, only to embark on such a reform soon after taking office

There have been many pushes and recommendations for a Greater Melbourne which would put the City on par with cities such as London and Brisbane.

 
Melbourne should as a minimum take in the City of Port Philip and the former City of Prahran to the South of the Yarra with the possibility of including the City of Yarra to the North East.

Robert Doyle lives in the neigbouring City of Port Phillip and served as the Member of Malvern before losing the leadership of the State Parliamentary Liberal Party to Denis Napthine. He later resigned from State Parliament and stood for the City of Melbourne Lord Mayor's Office in 2008 and again in 2012.  He has served since in a lack luster sugar coated local government position milking his status as Lord Mayor of the Borough of Melbourne socializing with the likes of Boris Johnston Mayor of the Greater City of London. Doyle, who campaigned on a short lived "No Junkets" policy is desperate to cling on to the perks of office, International travel and the Lord Mayors Limousine .

Call to slash Melbourne's 'inefficient' councils

 Source The Age

Melbourne must slash its local councils from 31 to just one if it is to plan services and large-scale infrastructure effectively, a former CEO of the City of Melbourne and aide to premier Jeff Kennett says.

And Australia should cut its levels of government to just two - national and regional - rather than the current three tiers.

''Our federation and the sheer number and layers of organisations that involve themselves in decision making … slows us down,'' said Elizabeth Proust delivering the Planning Institute's annual Kemsley Oration, the industry's key annual address, late last year.

Mr Kennett on Thursday did not support Ms Proust's call for one Melbourne council, but backed a dramatic expansion of Melbourne City Council's boundaries.

''I think it would be a natural reform for the future,'' Mr Kennett said, although he said he ''would not stipulate … how many neighbouring councils [Melbourne] should absorb''. He said council amalgamations by his government in 1994 were ''the right thing to do'', and it would be worth reviewing the numbers of councils.

But Ms Proust said the amalgamations ''did not go far enough'' as too many councils were ''too small to be effective or efficient''.

Ms Proust was chief executive of the City of Melbourne from 1990 to 1995, and then secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

During the tumultuous Kennett era, councils in Victoria were slashed from 210 to 79. ''That number is still too large,'' she said. ''As is the number of 31 councils which cover Melbourne'' because Melbourne's size and scale demand city-wide vision and governance.

Melbourne will grow from 4.25 million people to 6.5 million by 2050, according to the Napthine government strategy.

Jude Munro, a former CEO of the Brisbane City Council, backed Ms Proust's call. Brisbane is the country's largest council, covering more than 1.1 million residents and running the city's buses, ferries and its water infrastructure.

Ms Munro headed Moreland Council and the old St Kilda Council in Melbourne in the 1990s. She said creating a greater Melbourne council made sense, but said the mayor would become ''a real competitor to the Premier of Victoria''.

Lord mayor Robert Doyle said he would be ''violently opposed'' to one greater Melbourne council, with the city's CBD model working well. ''It works for Brisbane, but I don't think it would work for a Sydney or Melbourne,'' he said. ''You lose a bit if you try and be all things to all people.''

The Planning Institute's Victorian president, Brett Davis, also cautioned that a merger of more councils was simplistic and might not address the city's real governance challenges.

City of Melbourne's X-MAS nightmare for ex-resident

The City of Melbourne has issued a fine for not voting at the 2012 Municipal election even though they were not entitled to remain on the municipal role.

The person concerned had moved house in the weeks before the October 2012 Council and as such lost her entitlement to vote. Earlier this year the City of Melbourne issued fines for not voting. Appalled by council's administrative error they wrote to the City of Melbourne and informed them that she did not live within the municipality at the time and as such was not entitled to vote.

The City Council wrote back rejecting her application to have the fine revoked and increased  the fines value.  A situation that has caused considerable stress resulting in her having to seek medical attention and delays in paying her rent in the days leading up to Chirstmas.

The Melbourne City Council failed to explain on what basis they rejected her request to have the fine revoked.

The matter now has to go to court in order to right the wrong.  More stress and more costs involved.



VICTORIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1989 - SECT 11
Entitlements relating to enrolment     (1)     A person can only be enrolled on the voters' roll of a Council if the person is a resident in the municipal district of the Council or a ratepayer to the Council exercising an entitlement under and in accordance with this Division.

The City Council's failure to plan for Melbourne

It is often said that the City Council should be given back its planning powers? But should it?  The Council should not be judge jury and legislator.

The Council should be the administrator and have planning authority to determine the strategic plans for a city but it should not the the decider or interpreter of the planning scheme.  May councils do not have the skill or professionalism to determine what is good and what is bad.  Any limitation and restrictions should be spelt out in the planning scheme. A scheme which the City Council should have limited control over.

The Council should be an advocate on a planning decision but not the judge. To this extent the idea of decisions being made by professional planning authorities is a good one.  But the authority MUST consider and interpret the planning scheme in force correctly.  It the scheme is failing to address issues of broad community concern then it should be amended and the deciding body must reflect on those controls.

All too often we see the City Council itself ignore their won rules and guidelines like the time when Steven Mayne, Deputy Chair for the Planning portfolio ties to circumvent and ignore height limits that have been in force in the city for decades.  Planning on the run at a whim must be avoided at all costs

More often than not we also see the City Council pt up a pretense to fight an application when in fact they do not oppose it but do so for a variety of reasons one being community political pressure.

Ron Adams and Geoff Lawler are classic examples of administrators that ignore the planning scheme when it suits them.  The City Council has failed to incorporate policies designed it protect Melbourne Victorian Verandahs with Rob Adams actively seeking to allow balconies projecting over the foot path destroying the historic street scrapes.  his is an area where the City Council has absolute control as the building projects over public space,

Concerned at the loss of heritage and the impact it has on the Victorian Street Scape the City of Melbourne commissioned, be it reluctantly a document on Lygon Street verandahs. A policy that has been forgotten and not included in the latest planning review.

Anther example of slight of hand is the failure of the City Council, Geoff Lawler in particular to act to protect the amenity in Domain Rd. South Yarra.  The changes in State planning  that have been forced on the City Council means that the Domain Road precinct has now been classified as a Commercial One Zone (C1Z)  "Upgraded: from a Business one zone (B1Z).  The new C1Z planning zones come with an as of right use for licensed premises where the former planning

The Domain Rd precinct was designed to facilitate the needs to the adjoining residential precinct.but over the years the amenity of this precinct has been allowed to deteriorate, with the Council doing noting to protect its use and development.   Under the old planning scheme licensed premises needed a planning permit.  Under the new C1Z scheme retail premises no longer need a planning permit ad has a as of right use.  Licensed premises falls under the definition of retail premises and such such they too do not need a planning permit.  Night clubs tavern and the like where restricted before the amendment now they can be established without the need to even apply for a planning permit

Clem Newton Brown has been called on to act and to have licensed premises removed from the definition of retail premises. Something that Clem has failed to act on,  His inability to represent the local residents is an issue that is of considerable concern and one that has not gone unnoticed.  Residents in South Yarra have indicated they will campaign against him should he not address this issue

But it is not just Clem's issue, The City of Melbourne also has responsibility for this issue and they have done nothing. Geoff :Lawler was oblivious of the changes which effect not only South Yarra but North Melbourne, Carlton, East Melbourne and a host of other prec9incts that now fall under the provision of the new planning zones.


The City Council has placed in the too hard basket planning South of the Yarra, .South Bank has no provision for servicing residential amenity and South Yarra is in decline. It is just not of any interest to the City Planners who are looking to be engaged in newer more challenging developments such as Docklands and the Fisherman's bend precincts.  South Yarra dd not even get a mention in the City Council's five year plan and budget.

I would not hold my breath thinking that the ALP will address these issues either.  They have been  absent form the community debate for decades and have done nothing.  

Underutilised, Poor Urban Design and Planning South of the Yarra

The Age has published two articles by Jason Dowling and Clay Lucas that highlight problems with City of Melbourne planning and urban design.  Issues that the the City has failed to tackle.

Ask any resident in South bank or South Yarra and they will tell you that the lack of basic amenity and infrastructure is the main drawback of inner city living south of the Yarra 

There is no central focus for daily shopping in South Bank   The City Council has allowed the Domain Road precinct to deteriorate to the point where it no longer fulfills its intended use. 

Most notably is the lack of quality delicatessens or small supermarkets.   There are numerous seven elevens and a few small convenience stores that provide milk and basics.  Residents of South Bank and South Yarra are forced to either travel to South Melbourne or Prahran to buy daily produce South Bank lacks a residential amenity commercial precinct or square.  What business there are cater for the office workers not residents. This lack of amenity and planning has an impost and cost on inner city living.

The decline in Domain Road and other inner city residential commercial precincts are expected to further deteriorate as a result of inactivity and failure to act in behalf of the City Council. The changes to planning schemes introduced by the Minister in July 2013 will only exacerbate the decline further .  The shift from Business 1 zones to Commercial 1 zones will remove controls over planning and development designed to inner city residential development.

It comes as no surprise that the article in the Age reports that up to 8% of houses surveyed are empty.

The CIty Council has wiped its hands freom responsibility to plan or develop South of the Yarra.  the recent budget and 4 year plan has no projects or expenditure spent on South of the Yarra.  The Council Urban design team and planners have abandond this poart of teh city for the new precincts and new projects. Projects such as Docklands and Gishermans Bend that are also doomed to fail in the same way as South bank has.  As long as property hold and increase their value the Council will ontinue ti hide in the shadow of inactivity and complacently and Inner City remain captive to the car as a node of transport.  Eff9rts by the City Council to lock down the city by exempting developers from car p0arking requirements without a fee will not help.   Money collected from a car0-parking levy could and should be used to encourage more development of amenity and supporting residential use.

Rob Adams and Geoff Lawler and the City Urban Design and Planning departments turning a blind eye and ignoring the problems will not make it any better.  Part of the problem is the organisational disconnect between the two departments.