Woolworths Elsternwick: Residents rally against supermarket giant’s plan for former ABC studios

ELSTERNWICK residents are battling a plan Woolworths has for former ABC land, which the supermarket giant released after snapping up the site for a reported $45 million last year. Close to 120 neighbours have lodged official obections. This is why.

A PLAN by Woolworths to build a mammoth apartment and supermarket complex on former ABC studio land in Elsternwick is facing stiff resistance.

Nearly 120 neighbours are fighting the proposed 180-unit high rise with ground floor supermarket.

Woolworths is planning a 13-storey, 180-apartment complex, after snapping up the Selwyn St site for a reported $45 million in March last year.

PLANS FOR 12-STOREY TOWERS AT ODDS WITH CHARACTER

WOOLWORTHS VS COLES

Woolworths' development proposal for 10-16 Selwyn St, Elsternwick.

The supermarket giant revised development plans after community feedback, increasing setbacks, adding an extra 70 car spaces and a truck turntable, providing two-way access on Selwyn St, restoring heritage buildings on-site and improving nearby Jewish facilities.

But 118 people living nearby have still lodged complaints, saying the measures don’t go far enough to minimise traffic congestion, parking shortages, loss of heritage, noise and overshadowing on nearby houses.

Lyn Campbell, who owns a property at the back of the block, said ugly developments had been “seeping into the area like a disease”, including one recently approved in heritage-overlaid St Georges Rd.

The northern tower.

“In 10 or 20 years, we’ll have lost the complete character of the area and the reason why people want to move here in the first place,” she said.

Ms Campbell fears her privacy will be wrecked by apartment balconies overlooking her backyard. The ABC building is currently only two storeys high.

“I don’t want to look out and not see the sky but see a building instead,” she said.

Fellow Elsternwick resident Rosemary Scott-Thompson, who owns an apartment on Selwyn St said the “monstrosity” would block any direct sunlight she receives.

The southern tower.

“It hasn’t been stepped back on our side at all and the most distressing part is the loss of direct light in our apartment,” Ms Scott-Thompson said.

“I feel like I’ll end up with a dark little hole.”

Woolworths senior development manager Don Foulds said they had worked hard to address needs from neighbours, community groups and the council.

He said if approved, the complex would provide 180 construction jobs and 210 ongoing commercial and retail jobs.

The matter is expected to be voted on by councillors at the August council meeting. A planning conference will also be held this Wednesday, 6.30pm at the Glen Eira Town Hall.

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