Late work causes local headaches

Local residents have slammed a lack of consultation over continuing overnight construction works at Australia 108, which are due to continue until October.

A City of Melbourne spokesperson told Southbank Local News that it had granted developer World Class Land a permit for the installation of a protection deck to support a cantilevered structure at the City Rd and Southbank Boulevard corner site back in February.

The night works, which require temporary road closures of Southbank Boulevard, City Rd and Falkner St, are scheduled for July, September and October with no works expected to take place in August.

“After careful consideration of the impacts on all stakeholders, City of Melbourne officers deemed that the most suitable time for this activity to take place was during the non-peak hours 9pm to 6am. In addition, City Road is an arterial road and Vic Roads would only approve the occupation of it at night so traffic impacts are minimised during the day,” the spokesperson said.

“Following the completion of the protection deck, the majority of the cantilevered structure will be built during normal construction hours with sections over Southbank Boulevard and City Road being built and the protection deck being uninstalled during non-peak times.”

While the developer held a community engagement session on January 15 at the Boyd Community Hub and circulated an information pamphlet to surrounding buildings, residents say this is insufficient.

Writing to Southbank Local News last month, Sutherland Place resident Graeme Blundstone referred to the situation as a “snow-job of the highest order”.

“It is 7.30pm and work is continuing tonight at full steam,” he said. “No one has ‘notified residents’ of any out of hours works or road closures.”

“Neither I or our owners’ corporation (OC) building manager have been able to get anyone to talk to us, which makes me wonder if they are too ashamed to.”

“In a call to the council’s after-hours line to ask about the work going on at the Australia 108 site around 8.30pm, I was informed that after some kind of meeting between the council and developers, this site has astoundingly been given overnight work permissions until the completion of the project.”

“Now, surely, a decision like that must need consultation with nearby residents and a chance to voice opposition, however, nothing of the sort took place.”

“Who are this council meant to be representing here, rate-paying residents or multi-national high-rise developers?”

A City of Melbourne spokesperson said that it had directed the builder Multiplex to undertake a series of noise mitigation techniques to limit the impact on surrounding residents.

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