Save Our Suburbs (Vic)

CAG organises protest on smith st!

Planning Minister Rob Hulls’ Says YES to Banco and their massive Smith Street development ­ 3 high-rise towers of 8, 7, 5 storeys; 161 apartments; 3 level car-park of 411 spaces; offices; shopping mall, 200 seat café and giant 24 hour supermarket.

Collingwood Action Group, Residents Groups, Unions and Friends Say NO to Banco and will hold a public rally to protest the go ahead for this development. Please roll up and add your voice to this community campaign. And you can help us get more people along by distributing the attached leaflet through your networks.

When: 1pm Saturday 4 March 2006
Where: Corner Webb & Smith Streets, Fitzroy, bet 165 & 171 Smith Street (near Pattersons Building)
Who: MC Rod Quantock, Protectors of Public Lands,
and Speakers -
Steve Jolly, Yarra Councillor;
Louise Grace, Collingwood Action Group;
Ian Quick, Save Our Suburbs;
Greg Barber, Greens.

This event is supported by the City of Yarra.

The Collingwood Action Group and the Smith Street community thank you for your support.

MINISTERS DECISION ON BANCO - APPROVED

Planning Minister Rob Hulls has approved developer Bancos massive proposal for Smith Street and Little Oxford Street, Collingwood, based on his Priority Development Panels recommendation to support the plans with only a tweaking. Hulls decision to listen to the Panel ignores the wishes of Yarra Council, experts, community and the record 1500 objectors to Bancos originals plans. Banco now has the go ahead to raze almost half a block from the Grace Darling to the Old Post Office and destroy heritage buildings to construct 3 high-rise towers of 8, 7 and 5 storeys; 161 apartments; 3 level underground car-park of 411 spaces; offices; and a shopping mall with 10 retail outlets, 200 seat caf and a 24 hour supermarket.

MINISTERS DECISION ON YARRA'S INTERIM STRUCTURE PLAN - REJECTED

Minister Hulls also took the Panels advice and rejected Yarra Councils Smith Street Interim Structure Plan (Amendment C76) developed with community consultation. The Plan would have approved development on the Banco site up to a maximum of 5 storeys with proper setbacks and new development for the rest of Smith Street up to 2-3 storeys. These planning controls would have preserved the local character and the feel of the precinct as a significant heritage strip shopping street. Council has been told to do more work and that it can only have discretionary controls for future development, giving no certainty to developers, residents or business.

HOW THE DECISION AFFECTS SMITH & LITTLE OXFORD STREETS

- destroys the character of Smith Street and the neighbourhood forever.
- gives open slather to developers to Chapel-Streetize Smith Street.
- destroys Smith Streets status as a significant 19th century heritage shopping strip.
- risks a Cheesegrater scenario: Banco has 6 years to complete the development.
- allows Banco to build without any developer contributions to the community.
- potential traffic chaos for local business and residents.
- generates 2,500 new vehicle movements daily down Little Oxford Street.
- has a detrimental effect on local residents amenity.

Planning Minister Rob Hulls has approved a massive over development

Our original story

Collingwood Action Group 26 Cambridge Street, Collingwood, VIC, 3066
W: www.smithstreet.org/cag E:cag@smithstreet.org PH: 0410686971
Spokesperson: Louise Grace