HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUALITY FOR ALL,FREEDOM & JUSTICE FOR PALESTINE, ZIMBABWE, BURMA, EVERY COUNTRY SUFFERING FROM WARS, DROUGHTS, STARVATION, MILITARY ADVENTURES, DICTATORSHIPS, POLICE STATES, RELIGIOUS OPPRESSION, HOMOPHOBIA, CENSORSHIP & OTHER OBSCENITIES.INTERNATIONAL ASYLUM SEEKER SUPPORT
A BLOG SITE, "BLOGNOW" COLLAPSED IN 2009, SO USE THE GOOGLE SITE SEARCH ENGINE
SUBMISSION: OBJECTIONS TO REDEVELOPMENT OF PRESTON
MARKET AND PRECINCTS PROPOSALS
OBJECTIONS BASED ON OVER-DEVELOPMENT OF PRESTON
MARKET PRECINCT AND THE POSSIBLE OBLITERATION OF THE MARKET WITH NEW SHOPS AND
SHOPPING AREAS IN THE HIGH RISES PROPOSED.
1)Murray Road
is one of the keys to the objection because as it runs through the north of the
proposed redevelopment of Preston Market and precincts, the road has two bus
routes and boom gates just adjacent to the Market parking area.
The road has two traffic lanes in
each direction, one lane of each in each direction has parking available at
certain times of the day, limiting the narrow Murray
Road in the vicinity of the proposed development
into a one-lane each way roadway.
The proposed residential towers,
if approved, will apparently contain 300 dwellings.
2)High rises are the latest answer
to the Victorian state government’s attempts to contain urban sprawl which is
growing rapidly as Melbourne’s
population growth is rapidly increasing. To place such high rise buildings as
proposed by the developers would be totally out of keeping with the suburban
precincts of Preston areas. Darebin Council has planning
regulations which are allowing subdivisions in many parts of the suburb because
of the state government’s demand to councils to increase population density to
reduce/stop urban sprawl.
3)If this development is allowed to
proceed, Preston Market will be completely hemmed in by the high rise buildings
on its north and west. How long before similar developments will then be
approved in High Street and Gower Street.
If this occurs, then in the years to come, this mass of overdevelopment will
end up in the same situation as high rises in Flemington, Carlton,
Collingwood, Richmond and other
urban and suburban areas. Docklands comes to mind.
4)The amenities provided at the
moment by Preston Market will be materially altered if the proposed upgrading
of the Market itself proceeds and increases in rents and supplies at the Market
will increase to keep pace with the “gentrification” of the precinct.
5)Preston Market itself needs some
upgrading and modernisation, but not at the expense of stallholders being
priced out of the Market because they can’t afford the new rents and because
they possibly won’t have the customers to support them. Raising prices may well
mean losing existing customers, but they may not be left with any choice.
6)Preston Market is enclosed by four
main roads which are narrow and carry vast amounts of traffic. Murray
Road is a main east-west link and carries two bus
routes – 903 and 527. High Street is a main north-south link running virtually
from Gertrude Street in Fitzroy northwards along Smith Street, Queen’s Parade
and becoming High Street at the southern most end of Northcote, travelling
northwards through and beyond Reservoir. Gower Street is also an east-west link
which carries traffic from the industrial and commercial businesses around
Chifley Drive near Darebin Creek on the east side of Preston and going west
into West Preston. Traffic is already a serious problem on all these roads,
exacerbated by the fact that there are level crossings on Murray
Road and Gower Street.
7)If this development is allowed to
proceed because approval is given by Darebin Council, does this mean that
anywhere in Preston,residential areas
will be able to be rezoned to allow for high rise buildings such as those being
considered around Preston Market?
8)With the traffic along Murray
Road already choking the road as an east-west
link, motorists are taking short cuts through other quiet suburban roads
running off Murray Road,
such as our short street, Murphy Grove, where motorists escape Murray
Road and use the short cut to Wood
Street and also Tyler
Street. Does this mean that what the real estate
agents are saying about Preston that we are now inner
city being only approximately 10 km from the Melbourne CBD?
9)Preston infrastructure is
early 20th century in many areas, road width included, so services
such as water, gas, electricity, communications – are all out of date. With the
proposed development around Preston Market, how will services such as fire and
ambulance cope in an emergency? They are already finding difficulties in these
areas because of the roads and hydrants and other similar services, so it would
seem that disasters on a major scale become possibilities if there is a fire,
for instance in a high rise such as a 14 storey building.
10)Darebin Council is proudly
displaying a banner outside their premises at the corner of High Street and Gower
Street stating:
“We love
Preston Market”
Darebin Council cannot love Preston Market if they even
contemplate allowing such a gross overdevelopment to be given the green light
for the Preston Market precinct.
Melbourne – the
most liveable city in the world – is on the way out. Melbourne
and suburbia will become the slum capital unless these high rise proposals are
stopped before they can be developed.
Preston Market has been on the developers' cards for many years. Plans have been submitted to Darebin Council and some, lately, seem to have been ready to be approved with some modifications.
However, as the article below indicates, Council is now considering allowing three high rise buildings to be built in the Market precinct and it seems there is no consideration or understanding of the infrastructure problems concerning the proposed development.
We have examined the plans at Darebin Council's planning department and they reveal horror upon horror of disasters awaiting the whole area at and around the Market.
The Council has erected a sign outside its buildings at the corner of High Street and Gower Street, Preston, and we are now trying to work out what the Council loves about the Market if they are now even prepared to consider the plans submitted to them by the developer who owns so much of the area on which the Market stands.
The following article is from the Preston Leader:
Three apartment towers on Murray Rd revealed as part of Preston Market revamp plans
1 December 2016
Madeleine Brennan
Preston Market concept shots — the residential buildings.
THIS is the new face of Murray Rd if a planning proposal by the owners of Preston Market goes ahead.
The artist impressions, provided to the Leader, have also been
shown to market visitors over the past couple of weeks as part of the
owner’s push to allay community concerns over the future of the popular
site.
MARKET BUILDINGS SAFE UNDER $4M REVAMP
It shows three separate apartment towers, each of different design,
which will have prime access to the market and retail outlets
underneath.
The existing footprint of the fresh food market will not be impacted,
although Aldi would be demolished to make more room for parking and
moved to the new retail space. The Hood building would also be
demolished to make way for parking.
TRADERS FACE BOOT AT PRESTON MARKET
An amended proposal was submitted to Darebin Council on Friday, which
the owners said was to meet the State Government’s new design standards
on providing more natural light. Salta Properties managing director Sam
Tarascio said the proposal set “a new standard” for development in
Darebin.
“It has been designed by leading architects, Breathe Architecture,
who delivered The Commons in Brunswick, and NH Architecture, and will be
well connected to the market,” Mr Tarascio said.
The mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments would be larger than
many others in the area to appeal to owner occupiers, he said. Communal
gardens and a basketball court feature in the proposed design.
The owners could not confirm exact parking numbers, but said it would
be an increase on what is available now. Parking for market shoppers
and residents will be separate.
However, not all apartments will be sold with a car space, because of the proximity to a variety of public transport options.
The public will have the opportunity to comment on the plans as part of normal planning processes.
This article in the Preston Leader of 17 JANUARY 2017 continues the story and advises when objections must be submitted to Council:
" ......., objectors to the 14-storey development planned for above Preston Market have until 25 JANUARY to lodge their disapproval.
The planning permit application for the 170-dwelling development is on display at Darebin Council's statutory planning unit, on the first floor at 274 Gower Street, Preston from 8.45am to 4.45pm. Monday to Friday.
People objecting must send a submission to Darebin Council, including the reasons for their objections."
And people will assuredly object to not only the 14-storey development, but the two 10-storey developments as well!
Attached are two flyers dealing with immediate action required to stop the vandals from destroying Preston Market.
Join People For Preston Market
Darebin Council's behaviour in respect to the Market's future has been nothing less than a disaster for Preston.
Because no decisions have been made about the future of the area and because Darebin Council is so secretive about its planning decisions, it is necessary to ensure that the Council elections due to take place in October 2016 ensure that different councillors are elected who do not belong to the major parties which are uncooperative, unhelpful and ensure that no residents get positive help from the Council over problematic planning decisions.
We would urge as many people as possible to attend the two meetings and demonstrations planned in order to show our displeasure at the way the Market owners and Darebin Council have handled the public over the Market's future.
The banner below was made for the "Photo Bomb" - photoshoot at Preston Market at midday on Saturday 17 September 2016.
We estimate that about 50 people were present for the above demo outside one entrance to the Market.
The next two photos were taken with the above banner being used to draw people's attention to the problems being confronted by the stallholders and those of us who are regulars at the Market.
Poster by Kendall Lovett, photos by Mannie De Saxe and Marian De Saxe at Preston Market photo shoot on 17 SEPTEMBER 2016.
The owners of the Preston Market will move ahead with a $4
million revamp of its popular food halls despite opposition from local
residents and traders.
Salta Properties and Medich Corporation,
who jointly own the 45-year-old fresh food market, will begin work on
upgrading the fruit, vegetable, meat, poultry and fish halls in October.
An artist's impression of the upgrades to Preston Market. Photo: Supplied
The upgrade is the first stage of a planned $550 million makeover of
the thriving, multicultural market that includes plans for 1500 homes in
towers up to 28 storeys high.
The project's controversial second
and third stages, which include multi-storey car parks and high-rise
buildings, have stalled in the planning process after they were rejected
by the local council.
Salta's director Sam Tarascio said the market had remained largely untouched since the 1970s and was due for an upgrade.
"A key focus of the works is the introduction of a range of environmental and sustainability initiatives," he said.
They include solar panels on the roof, onsite waste treatment,
recycling improvements, smart building technologies, a children's play
area and expansion of the Preston Artist Market, dubbed PAM Lane.
Manny
Spiteri, a leasing advocate representing the market's 150 traders,
described the work as a " facelift to placate the council".
Mr Spiteri said the market's owners had failed to properly consult with market traders.
"You're
the first one to tell us. Wouldn't you think they would consult the
traders?" he said. "We don't know when it's going to happen, how it's
going to happen."
The market's owners face stiff opposition from
local residents, with a push by Darebin Progress Association for a
public meeting to voice concerns.
"We don't want it sanitised. We
want the amenity of the market, it's multicultural aspects preserved,"
organisation secretary Marion Harper said. "It's a cultural hub. It's a
way of life that's disappearing."
Passionate shoppers, protective
of Melbourne's old-style traditional undercover markets, have levelled
similar criticism at the City of Melbourne's multi-million dollar
makeover of the Queen Victoria Market.
Mr Tarascio said traders knew the changes were coming and would be briefed next week.
The
Preston Market will remain open while it undergoes the revamp which has
been designed by NH Architecture and Breathe Architecture, he said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Leader newspapers:
Manny Spiteri, who is advocating for stallholders, says traders at Preston Market are at ‘breaking point’. Picture: David Smith
Preston Market traders forced to close as $4m million ’facelift’ begins
Harrison Tippet, Preston Leader
AT
LEAST three Preston Market traders have been given marching orders,
while others have been put on month-by-month contracts in the face of a
$4 million “facelift” of the site.
Preston Market
Developments, a partnership between Salta Properties and Medich
Corporation, last week announced it would spend more than $4 million on a
market revamp.
The makeover would add 60 retail jobs and include
upgrades to the Fruit and Vegetable block and Meat, Poultry and Fish
Hall, new children’s play spaces and sustainability improvements.
Works are to begin next month.
But Preston Leader
discovered at least three traders had been issued with notices of lease
terminations ahead of the planned works, while one had started legal
proceedings against the owners.
Leader
spoke to stallholders at the market who revealed some had been issued
with notices of termination, while others were on month-by-month
‘holding over’ lease arrangements.
Artists impression of how Preston Market will look following its $4 million revamp. Picture: SuppliedSalta
Properties managing director Sam Tarascio last week said he was “not in
a position to discuss commercial in confidence matters regarding
individual traders”.
Enzo Seconnino, who has run Patricia Fabrics
at the market for more than 40 years, said he received a notice of
termination, and would be forced to close his shop for the final time on
September 12.
“It’s not a very nice way to go, you’d think that after so many years I’d be part of the fabric of the market,” he said.
Mr Seconnino said the owners had suggested they would relocate him, but had so far given him nothing in writing.
PEOPLE FOR PRESTON MARKET PUT NEW VISION ON TABLE
Preston
Market Traders advocate Manny Spiteri said the renewal works were “a
facelift” to placate traders who were at “breaking point”, fearing their
tenancies could be terminated.
Mr Spiteri claimed four
stallholders’ leases had been terminated, with two stallholders
launching legal action against the owners and about eight considering
legal action.
Darebin Progress Association spokeswoman Marion
Harper said local community groups are working to form a Save Preston
Market group, and were planning a community meeting.
The $4 million revamp is the first stage of a planned $550 million redevelopment of the market.
Darebin
Council has twice rejected planning scheme amendments, including one
which would have paved the way for a 28-storey apartment tower on the
site.
Mr Tarascio last week could not guarantee stallholders would not lose their jobs as part of the $550 million redevelopment.
“Like
any retail project, we continue to work closely with the traders
regarding any new leases and this is ongoing at Preston Market,” Mr
Tarascio said.
“As with all markets, stall holders do change from time to time.”
He said the upgrades would be done to the include the installation of solar panels, on-site waste treatment.
The $4 million Preston Market revamp will include:
—
Sustainability improvements, including solar panels, on-site waste
treatment, recycling improvements and new technologies that will reduce
the carbon footprint of the market.
— Upgrades to existing buildings and public spaces, including kids play areas and landscaping — Works to provide space for more artists and designers at PAM Lane.
— General enhancements, including parent rooms, public walkways, a new customer service centre and improved public amenities.
