Community group recasts vision

The South Port Urban Responsible Renewal (SPURR) group has urged the State Government to include public consultation, governance and funding principles in its recast vision for Fishermans Bend.

While the community group has welcomed the vision and the potential opportunities it offers, its recent submission to the recast vision has raised serious concerns about how the government plans to fund and implement the vision.

With the renewal of Fishermans Bend not expected to be completed before 2050, SPURR has called on the government to deliver the vision through the provision of “three C’s’” – certainty, confidence and credibility.

The submission states that the recast vision must provide certainty by clearly stipulating planning controls, its decision-making processes and an enforcement and compliance regime.

With Fishermans Bend having been rezoned as Capital City by former Liberal Planning Minister Matthew Guy, the group says it holds serious concerns about how the government intends to implement its plan across what is mainly privately owned land.

SPURR convenor Rowan Groves said the government’s vision needed to clearly identify locations for community infrastructure and establish a plan for multi-node public transport.

The submission also considers concerns to Southbank residents around a lack of commercial activity surrounding the approval of more than 5000 apartments in the Montague precinct.

With traffic along Montague St and City Rd set to increase, SPURR argues that increased traffic congestion will create more demand for public transport and create a barrier for a liveable and connected neighbourhood.

Mr Groves said that while he welcomed the increase in public dialogue by the current government, the recast vision provided an opportunity to make community consultation a cornerstone of the Fishermans Bend planning process.