Hundreds of petitions to parliament were signed, but we really need more to make an impact and have the Planning Minister take notice.
So we are looking for volunteers required to distribute and collect more petitions from around the neighbourhood.
Please email admin@protectnewport.com if you can assist.
| Colleen Hartland MLC(Member of the Legislative Council) has responded to our situation with a letter to Matthew Guy, highlighting her discussions with residents about the negative impact of the timber yard development on both neighbourhood character and amenity of Armstrong Reserve. Thanks Colleen.Here is a PDF copy of Colleen’s letter to the Planning Minister. Below is a scan of her letter. |
Now is the time for residents to write or email the Planning Minister Minister Guy seeking his support to uphold Council’s refusal to grant this development a permit.
You may wish to include:
Email to the Planning Minister’s at matthew.guy@parliament.vic.gov.au
| Wade Noonan MP who took our petition to Parliament in June has written to the Planning Minister Matthew Guy seeking urgent assistance to help stop the Timber Yard development.Here is a PDF copy of Wade’s letter to residents and the Planning Minister. Below are scans of the letters in full.
Now is the time for residents to write or email the Planning Minister Minister Guy seeking his support to uphold Council’s refusal to grant this development a permit. You may wish to include:
Email to the Planning Minister’s at matthew.guy@parliament.vic.gov.au |
An article regarding the 6 Paine St development has just been published in the Hobsons Bay Weekly.
The article at the Hobsons Bay Weekly website.
See your letterbox or this page to join the petition – your participation is appreciated.
BY GOYA DMYTRYSHCHAK
13 Jun, 2011 12:00 AM
A PETITION is calling on Planning Minister Matthew Guy to intervene in a controversial development proposed on the former Newport timber yard site.
The petition, launched on Friday by the group called Protect Newport, states that plans to build 42 apartments up to four storeys at 6 Paine Street ” are highly inappropriate and will do nothing to enhance the Newport area”.
At least 360 residents have objected to the proposal by Domain Hill Property Group.
Hobsons Bay Council has twice refused the developer’s plans – in 2010 and last year – and the developer has lodged a second appeal at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The developer’s first proposal for a three-storey, 46-dwelling apartment block was rejected by the council and VCAT.
Residents also said they felt “blackmailed” by the developer’s letter, which indicated that if they did not accept the plans, a four-storey, 136-dwelling social housing complex could be built without council approval. The council denied this was possible.
Protect Newport spokesman Anthony Simmons last Friday joined state Williamstown MP Wade Noonan in launching the petition.
It states that: “The government was elected on a platform of giving more power to councils and we mean it. The Baillieu state government should also support the Hobsons Bay Council’s decision to reject plans to build this high-density multi-storey development in Newport, within
a low-scale, heritage neighbourhood.”
Mr Simmons said: “Newport residents have been fighting this ridiculous over-development for two years now. Yet we are determined to continue fighting and win.
“I can’t believe the arrogance of this developer who thinks his high-density development is appropriate for our neighbourhood, when he is opposed by council’s planners and hundreds of residents who think his plan’s very inappropriate in almost every respect.”
Mr Noonan said he made no apology about getting involved. “This has become a David versus Goliath battle, so I am making no apologies for weighing in to support the community in their opposition,” he said.
“It’s time to restore some balance in our planning system and give greater power back to the local community. I think we’re all sick and tired of seeing ridiculously large developments being built in predominantly low-rise areas.”
The developer and Mr Guy’s office had not responded by the time of going to press.
The petition will be distributed to about 1000 local households
Article by Hobsons Bay Weekly
Our local MP Wade Noonan is showing his support and facilitating a petition which he will present to Parliament.
The petition: Draws to the attention of the House (Legislative Assembly) the need for the Government to support Hobsons Bay City Council’s decision to reject a new multi-storey, high density development at Paine Street, Newport. The petitioners request the Legislative Assembly urges the Baillieu Government to support the Hobsons Bay City Council’s decision to reject a proposal to build more than 40 new multi-storey apartments on the old Newport Timberyard site.
Victorian Planning Minister, Matthew Guy, made a ruling on Williamstown’s Woollen Mills site, he said “The Government was elected on a platform of giving more power to councils and we mean it.” We are asking the Government to fulfil it’s election promise.
Your prompt action is needed…
Petition forms: Petition forms are being distributed throughout the neighbourhood. Please complete and deliver the petition form as quickly as possible. Multiple names per form are only counted as one ‘vote’, use one form per person to give us more numbers.
Can’t wait for a form in your letter box?
Need additional forms?
Click here for copies of the petition form.
Delivery: You can seal and post the self addressed and pre-paid form in a Aussie Post box. Or you can drop your completed forms in any of these below letter boxes which will be promptly delivered to Wade Noonan’s office.
Put into the letterboxes of either: 91 Franklin St 4 Paine St 2 Crawford St 4 Bunbury St
When: Your prompt action would be appreciated, so this petition might make the next parliamentary sitting.
We have an important mission to achieve this week, to get as many signatures on a petition. More info on the petition to follow.
We need volunteers to undertake a fast paced door knock campaign to collect signatures from the current 360 resident objectors. Followed by a letter drop to all remaining residents in the area to gather additional signatures.
If you can assist, please email info@protectnewport.com
Thanks.
Hobsons Bay Leader has written an article, reporting the developers submission of amended plans to VCAT. Below is the text in full…
If you view the Leader’s article on this page, you can place comments on the Leader’s website.
Undecided fate of Newport timber yards
Fiona O’Doherty
May 30, 2012
THE developer behind a plan to turn the Newport timber yards into multi-storey housing has lodged amended plans with Hobsons Bay Council.
The council rejected a bid for a 43-dwelling development on the Paine St site last December.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal last year rejected plans for 40 dwellings.
Developer Domain Hill Property Group successfully asked for the adjournment of the most recent tribunal hearing, saying it wanted to submit amended plans addressing concerns.
But plans for 42 townhouses with a sunken carpark reducing the height of buildings by 0.8m, have failed to impress critics.
Co-ordinator of residents’ group, Protect Newport, Anthony Simmons said the new plans were essentially the same as the old plans and that the townhouses would still be an “eyesore”.
Council planning and environment director Peter Gaschk said the amended plans did not address the council’s concerns.
But Domain Hill managing director Peter Cahill said the amendments addressed all matters raised.
Comments can be made on the Leaders website.
Note: The above text is by Hobsons Bay Leader – copyright remains that of the respected owners.
Current events: The developer has submitted amended plans to VCAT, with no improvements of any significance. Concerns of residents, Council, and park users have been given scant regard. Additionally, new alterations make the development more gated and closed off from the surroundings.
Action required: We have VCAT permission to submit a joint Statement of Grounds form reinforcing previous objections and further objecting to the amendments, this can be co-signed by residents rather than residents having to submit individual SoG. This should save everyone a lot of effort. But we need this signed ASAP.
What to do: Drop by the park this weekend and co-sign the SoG, it will only take a minute. Assistants will be in Armstrong Reserve between 2pm and 3pm, Saturday and Sunday.
As the battle ramps up again, we are looking for more people to volunteer time to assist both core-team activities and communications.
If you can assist, please email info@protectnewport.com
Any support is appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Everyone,
As you know the developer received an VCAT adjournment to submit amended plans to ‘consider Council’s feedback’. Here are copies of the developers letter and amended plans. And below a summary of the changes.
Please review.
Statement of Grounds submissions – do you need to do one?
The developer’s letter mentioned objector’s Statement of Grounds must be submitted by 29th this month. We asked VCAT about this and they explained these SoG are only for additional objections relevant to the amendments, and if any aspects of the amended plans are the same as the previous plans, the original SoG submitted by residents still stand. So unless you think there are additional things in these amendments to object to, you do not have to submit a further SoG.
If there are amendments you do wish to object to you can submit an SoG for relating to those issues, or you you can join in on a joint submission being prepared by the resident objectors team. More information about that will be posted in a few days. If you would like to provide input, please email info@protectnewport.com
Summary of the amended plans below, amendments with potential for further objection are highlighted in red…
Fundamentally the same development with little changes that negate most peoples initial objections.