13 April, 2011

Summary of Presentation to Urban Planning Special Committee

BRAG made a six page presentation to the council's Planning Committee on Monday 21st March 2011 on behalf of sixteen community groups from across Boroondara.
The presentation made strong arguments to limit the proposed Acticvity Centre Strategy being pushed by Council's Strategic Planning Department and offered an alternate strategy which is supported by the sixteen community groups and devised after consultation with three Town Planners.
A summary of the alternate strategy :
Residential Areas - Introduce a Residential 3 Zone covering all residential areas in Boroondara (currently there is no protection for these areas). The 3 Zone is the same as the existing 1 Zone except it limits the height to 9 metres. (This has previously been looked at by Council with a suggested amendment to ensure any third floor proposal is within the roof area which must follow the existing street roof lines, this means that any third floor must be an attic within the roof to stop three storey flat roof construction within the 9 metre limit).
Local Centres. - All identified smaller local shopping areas to be removed from the plan (they are totally unsuitable to be made activity centres).
Level 3. - to have mandatory heights introduced that are no higher than the surrounding residential areas and remove from the list centres with heritage overlays (Maling Road, Canterbury Village and Auburn Village). Heritage studies be carried out as a matter of urgency and no parking areas to be developed.
Level 2. - Be renamed Urban Villages as Activity Centres sends the wrong message. Have separate structure plans prepared involving local communities and heights not to exceed 3 storeys to blend in with the surrounding residential areas. Heritage studies to be carried out in each area and no parking areas to be developed.
Enterprise Corridors - The proposed 10 storeys in Burwood/Camberwell Roads cannot be justified and separate studies in 5 different areas be undertaken taking hertage protection into consideration.
The height in Canterbury Road to be limited to 3 storeys (6 storeys proposed).
Tooronga - to be included in Residential 3 Zone
WE HAVE A NEW GOVERNMENT, NO POPULATION TARGETS AND A NEW OPPORTUNITY. COUNCIL URGED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
A copy of the full presentation, which includes our arguments and explanations for the recommendations and identifies the 16 groups is set out below.

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