It feels like ages since we, at CARA Central, have had the opportunity to sit down and actually post a blog. This is going to be short as we’ve been run off our feet with planning issues, amongst them this ghastly Tower proposed to blight the skyline of Abbotsford. If you thought that big ugly box toward the Yarra river was boxy, or the other box near North Richmond station was, well, boxy – check out the latest 3 D projections from Urbis for Johnston Street.
We can’t imagine that VCAT would consider it appropriate for the site context. But all the smart money is on the developer, Urbis, getting their way on this one. And a planning permit for 16 or 17 storeys is all they need to put it on the market and make a tidy profit from the land speculation.
It’s become apparent at this late stage that the proponent, Urbis, has all the lawyers, guns and money to put into winning this case. And we lack the experience to prepare something to withstand this assault.
Poor old Abbotsford! But it will set a precedent for any area within 800 metres of any train station (regardless of whether the trains actually stop there!) or 400 metres of a tram, and, being in a humble Neighbourhood activity centre, spells disaster for many little shopping strips, let alone for the neighouring residential housing.
Do you know of anyone who has the skills and experience, and who might be willing to share some insights with us on a pro bono basis (a small group of directly affected residents and the wider suburb loosely represented by CARA) between now and the 5th September to structure our case?
