Two separate disputes at VCAT considering the fate of the two residential towers by developers Urban DC and Pace Development Group were effectively paused in July when Kilkenny,the minister,announced a surprise ban on buildings on the strip above three storeys high.
That ban is due to expire on Friday,with new gazetted rules instead stating a “preferred” height limit on the strip of 12 storeys. The move means both developments can now return to VCAT in November and be assessed under the new rules.
In the three months since Kilkenny’s intervention,the Victorian governmentannounced a major housing statement that emphasised encouraging higher density “activity centres” – including Frankston – to deal with the housing crisis.
Kilkenny is also the state MP for Carrum,the neighbouring seat to Frankston,which takes in some parts of wider Frankston but not the waterfront area. Frankston local Reverend Tim Costello,a member of the Stop the Great Wall campaign,said he was “gutted” by the decision.
“This is a forever change in the jewel of Frankston with ugly high rises,” he said. “I cannot believe a Labor minister would do this. There is not one unit of social housing in this development – it’s penthouses for multimillionaires.”
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A counter-community campaign calling itself Advance Frankston is led by local Gary Ebbott,who has bought into one of Urban DC’s developments.
He said the group,which emerged in the past three months,has met with the council,local Labor MP Paul Edbrooke and Kilkenny,to voice support for the developments to go ahead.
Ebbott said others in his group were people who wanted to move into the Nepean Highway developments,and that Thursday’s announcement was “great news for Frankston”.
“Hopefully going forward this will give developers some certainty about what they can do with Frankston and not walk away. Governments don’t build houses[developers do],” he said.
The planning controls to be gazetted Friday also authorise the Frankston Council’sMetropolitan Activity Centre Structure Plan to guide development across the whole city centre and encourage density along the Kananook Creek.
Frankston Mayor Nathan Conroy said the authorisation was a landmark moment for Frankston.
“By providing critical clear direction on land use,building design,housing and accommodation,it will ensure future development not only stays true to Frankston’s culture and character,but also uplifts under-utilised and unloved spaces,and provides better connection to our prized assets of Kananook Creek and the Waterfront,” he said.