Residents pen their frustration

Nearly 200 residents from Southbank’s Clarendon Towers have signed a petition calling for the State Government to stop ignoring the community when making planning decisions.

The petition was presented to the City of Melbourne at a council meeting on October 28 by Cr Rohan Leppert in support of a motion, and was unanimously received by council.

The summary on the petition says the State Government is ignoring the views of the community, local councils and other expert bodies when approving high-rise developments in Southbank.

The petition calls for policy-makers to consider the livability of the amenity of Southbank residents when approving high-rise developments by ensuring:

• There is sufficient space between the proposed and existing buildings;
• Infrastructure (including traffic flow and parking) is available to service the increased number of residents;
• Provision of green space, schools and community spaces; and
• The new buildings meet specific guidelines in relation to apartment size, quality and external windows and that external walls are not just left as grey concrete slabs.

Labor Member for Albert Park Martin Foley, Liberal candidate Shannon Eeles and Greens candidate David Collis, were also sent a copy of the petition along with a letter signed by Cr Leppert urging each of them to “give our community the rights and amenities it deserves”.

“We have had our rights taken away from us and have been treated as second-class citizens for some time now and will carefully consider what your party can offer our community when casting our votes,” it states.

The petition formed a part of the council’s submission to the Planning Minister’s department at November 11’s Future Melbourne Committee meeting.