Hip-hip Hooray! A win for the local community.

After a lot of advocacy from Jane Garrett and Fiona Richardson, Labor has decided to intervene in the Brunswick Terminal Station issue.

The ALP has just announced this afternoon, Monday, that a returned Brumby Government will examine the feasibility of alternatives to the current site & design. Post election, the incoming Minister for Energy's office will look at all the options and think creatively about how the Government can use its powers and land bank etc to get an outcome in everyone's interest. Let's hope alternative sites will be seriously looked at (not necessarily just the old Whelans tip site).

This is a real win for the Merri Creek community, surrounding areas and users of the creek valley.

This opens up the opportunity for the facility to be relocated entirely and provides further impetus for our campaign.

The Government has finally accepted that the existing "consultation" process is going to deliver a bumpy ride for everyone & that if it comes to the table with an open mind it can balance the competing interests.

Hip-hip Hooray!

LABOR TO GUARANTEE COMMUNITY INPUT INTO BRUNSWICK TERMINAL STATION REDEVELOPMENT

08/11/2010

Minister for Energy and Resources Peter Batchelor said today that a future Brumby Labor Government would work with all parties involved in the upgrade to the Brunswick Terminal Station to examine alternatives.

Mr Batchelor said that Labor Candidate for Brunswick Jane Garrett and Member for Northcote Fiona Richardson had made spirited representations on behalf of local residents concerned about the visual appearance, height of the proposed upgrade and the impact on local parklands.

“It is important to balance out the needs of the local community with the need for a secure energy supply able to meet the demands of a growing population,” Mr Batchelor said.
While the upgrade of the Brunswick Terminal Station has been planned for some time to boost the supply of power to the CBD, a community backlash earlier this year had forced energy companies CitiPower and SP AusNet to rethink plans to build a dozen 25 metre steel towers at its site along the Merri Creek in Brunswick East.
Labor Candidate for Brunswick Jane Garrett said that the local community and activists that had rallied around the upgrade of the Brunswick Terminal Station issue wanted a say in the design and were keen that alternatives were seriously considered.

“Local people feel passionate about Brunswick as a place to live and the Merri Creek and the green spaces are a real treasure,” Ms Garrett said.

“I welcome the commitment from the Minister for Energy and Resources that a future Brumby Labor Government will mediate the local community’s desire for public open spaces and sensitive urban planning with the critical importance of maintaining continuity of electricity supply for Melbourne.”

Ms Garrett said she would also take up the issue with Federal Minister Martin Ferguson who has oversight of the Australian Energy Market Operator, the planner for the Victorian electricity transmission network.

The upgrade is needed to give Melbourne a robust and secure power network and to minimise the risk of widespread outages. An engineer’s report found that two outages in 2001 in the Melbourne CBD that affected tens of thousands of customers, and cost millions of dollars to the economy, would have been avoided had the proposed upgrade to the electricity network been made.

MORELAND COUNCIL’S VISION FOR OPEN SPACES

a summary, based on Moreland Open Space Strategy 2004

as published on the Moreland Council’s website

(http://www.activemoreland.com/parks-pools-sport/parks-and-playgrounds/new-and-better-parks.html

Open Space Strategy (DOC 3Mb) )

or

http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/mccwr/publications/policies-strategies-plans/moreland-open-space-strategy.pdf

Moreland Council has a strategy in place for the open spaces of Moreland.  It sits within a broader policy framework that includes policies adopted at a State Government level.

Moreland Council’s strategy supports the State Government’s Melbourne 2030 policy which recognises the Merri Creek “as being part of the regional public space network” (ie. a major, rather than local, park which is consequently managed by Parks Victoria.)  Parks Victoria’s intention is to “protect, enhance and where possible link the significant riparian vegetation of waterways such as the Yarra River, the Plenty River, the Moonee Ponds Creek, the Merri Creek and Watsons Creek in order to establish regional wildlife corridors.”  So the Merri Creek is not considered only of relevance to the local area, but to the region.

The State Policy Planning Framework, Victoria Planning Provisions Cl.56-05, states the provision of public open space should “take advantage of and protect natural and cultural features, and incorporate land for regional linear open space where appropriate.”

Moreland’s goal is to “restore ‘natural’ landscapes, primarily along the waterways, to provide habitat for indigenous plants and animals and for informal outdoor recreation”.  To achieve this, council says it will “utilise up-to-date, sustainable environmental design and technology in open space development and redevelopment” and ensure that “any new buildings, other structures and car parks cause minimal encroachment into public open space…”

Council acknowledges that “to many people, the appeal of open space lies in vegetated landscapes and opportunities for contact with nature within the urban environment”, and the role these spaces have on “human spiritual and physical wellbeing”.  Council also notes that “in Moreland, most of the natural plant and animal communities, and even some landforms and creeks have been replaced by roofs, roads and other hard surfaces.”

Council says there is “still much work to be done in restoring the creek corridors to conserve and enhance their natural, cultural heritage, landscape and recreational values.”  And it is their intention to “acquire land to establish a minimum 30 metre wide public open space corridor along the Merri, Moonee Ponds and Edgars Creeks” as opportunities arise.

Urban Planning Committee 23 June 2010 Brunswick Terminal Station

Application No: MPS/2009/776 Building and works associated with the existing utility installation (terminal station)
Property: 46 King Street, FITZROY NORTH VIC 3068


I refer to the above planning application and your objection lodged to this application.
Please be advised that the application will be considered at the next meeting of the Urban Planning Committee.  7:30pm  Wednesday 23 June 2010
Council Chambers - Municipal Offices, 90 Bell Street Coburg


You are invited to attend this meeting. At the meeting both the permit applicant and any objectors will be given a brief (usually 3 minute) opportunity to address the Committee. 


The officer’s report is contained in the meeting agenda and will be made available on the Friday prior (that's tomorrow the 18th) to the meeting. If you require a copy of the agenda, please contact Council’s Governance Unit on 9240 1115.