Elsternwick and Carnegie development height limits: Residents blast plan
NEW height limits for Elsternwick and Carnegie have been blasted by residents who say developers have been given free rein to build “whatever the hell they like” — and they blame state election politics for the problem.
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NEW height limits for Elsternwick and Carnegie have been blasted by residents who claim they’ve been cheated because they don’t live in a marginal seat.
The interim State Government planning rules approved this week outline discretionary heights of two to 12 storeys in Elsternwick and eight to 12 storeys for the commercial area on Dandenong Road in Carnegie.
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Lower limits of two to five storeys were approved for Bentleigh — a marginal seat — and two to four storeys in Carnegie’s Koornang Rd commercial area and surrounding residential zones.
The Opposition this week vowed to review and “aim to lower” the 12-storey height limits in Elsternwick, if elected in November.
But Planning Minister Richard Wynne said the limits respected the area’s low-scale shopping strips, residential heritage and gardens, and “would provide certainty for developers and residents”.
Key campaigner and Caulfield South resident Sandy Togias questioned how such high-density living respected the historic area and said politics and the upcoming election had clearly come into play.
“It’s interesting that a marginal seat like Bentleigh gets two to five storeys but a safe seat like Elsternwick gets 12,” she said.
The measures will be in place until Glen Eira Council develops permanent controls, including the Elsternwick Structure Plan, which details 12-storey limits and is opposed by hundreds of residents.
Glen Eira approved 2329 apartments last year alone — more than double the approvals for each of Bayside, Stonnington and Boroondara.
Ms Togias said much of the community staunchly opposed the high-rise development, especially in Elsternwick, but had not been listened to.
She said it was frustrating that the municipality only needed to approve 522 new dwellings each year to meet Plan Melbourne targets, but kept storming ahead with monstrous complexes.
“Once 12 storeys is applied for, the chances of reducing this to six, eight or 10 are very difficult,” she said.
“This now gives about a year’s grace for developers to build whatever the hell they like.
“There’s also no planning for the increased amenity required to support (the) significant increase of new residents as a result of (these heights) spanning 43 metres.”
It comes as residents fight against Woolworths’ plans for a 13-storey, 180-apartment complex at the former ABC studios on Selwyn St. Under new guidelines, it’s believed the maximum height allowed would be 10-storeys.
Opposition planning spokesman David Davis said a Liberal government would aim to lower the 12-storey limits in Elsternwick and commit to restoring Neighbourhood Residential Zone protections, if elected.
“The caps in Bentleigh and Carnegie are too little too late and allow an absolute open season in the surrounding streets of these areas where the neighbourhood zone protections have been stripped away by Daniel Andrews,” Mr Davis said.
“These small residential streets will now become the target.”
In 2017, the government approved height limits up to five storeys in Bentleigh and seven storeys within Carnegie.
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