Locals rally against ‘noisy minority’ stopping plan to transform Frankston
Vandals and squatters are taking over Frankston’s main drag as a bold plan to transform the seaside suburb sits in limbo.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A prime seaside strip earmarked for luxury living is now a ghost town littered with dozens of abandoned shop fronts and empty offices.
Long time Frankston locals say a “noisy minority” has halted progress in their once “thriving suburb” leading to 30 “derelict” shops and several vacant development sites along an 800m stretch of the Nepean Highway.
Prominent real estate agent Michael Crowder said the strip was the “worst” he’s ever seen it and while rents remained “relatively cheap” finding tenants was challenging.
And developers waiting to break ground on luxury apartment developments along the highway were in danger of walking away from the suburb.
Thousands have joined a new action group formed in a bid to counter the “selfish NIMBYs” who they believe convinced the state government to press pause on an urban development plan for Frankston.
More than 350 have signed a petition calling for the local council’s vision for the area to be approved after another action group – Stop the Great Wall of Frankston – “convinced” Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to step in over fears high rise development would block bay views.
Advance Frankston T-shirts are being printed and at least 150 businesses have put up posters calling for action.
Advance Frankston founder Garry Ebbott, who has lived and worked in the area for 30 years, said the suburb desperately needed the high rise residential developments currently in limbo on the highway.
“What would you rather have along the Nepean Highway? 30 empty shops or beautiful buildings, cafes and fine dining?” he said.
“The apartments will bring the people, which will provide the foot traffic businesses need to thrive.”
The residential proposals include a 14 storey, 107 apartment complex planned by Urban DC for 446-450 Nepean Highway and Pace Development Group’s 16 storey 188 apartment project next door at 438-44.
Both plans ended up before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal earlier this year.
However, before decisions could be made, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny slapped planning controls on a section of the highway.
The interim move gazetted by the state government in July included an design overlay limiting buildings to three storeys.
The emergency measure will remain in force until at least October 27.
The Urban DC project, known as Harbour, was approved by the council in November, 2022 but Stop the Great Wall campaigners appealed the decision at the state’s planning tribunal in June.
The tribunal had not revealed its decision when Ms Kilkenny stepped in – on the first day of a hearing into a planning application for Pace’s 16 storey development.
Urban DC executive director Danny Ciarma was hopeful “sanity would prevail” and Ms Kilkenny would ultimately approve Frankston Council’s 20 year plan for the CBD, which included discretionary 12 storey height limits along Nepean Highway between Beach St and Ploughman Place.
“I think there’s been a lot of noise around the structure plan and the Minister needed time to consider the council’s vision,” Mr Ciarma said.
However, he said Ms Kilkenny’s sudden move had sent shockwaves through the industry, with developers now questioning the feasibility of investing in Victoria.
“It’s not just Frankston that people are nervous about,” he said.
“If the Minister can put height limits on Frankston land that hasn’t had any formal height restrictions for 20 years, it could happen anywhere.”
Despite not having a planning permit for Harbour, Urban DC had opened a display suite at the Nepean Highway site and up to 30 per cent of apartments within the development were already spoken for.
“It was a calculated risk,” Mr Ciarma said.
The company was already building a nine storey luxury apartment complex on Ploughman Place and had worked with the council to come up with a second proposal that would fit the vision for the area.
“Our first project Horizon showed us there was plenty of demand for quality apartments in Frankston and people were lining up to pay $2m for a penthouse,” Mr Ciarma said.
“It was clear we needed another project.”
Mr Ebbott and wife Kathryn were among the many locals who saw Horizon as a way to downsize and stay in the suburb they loved.
About 80 per cent of people buying into the project already lived within 8km of their new address.
“All those people sold family homes, many in Frankston South and Mount Eliza,” Mr Ebbott said.
“This is what we need to happen; we need to make way for the next generation of families but we can’t do that if the empty nesters don’t have anywhere to go.
“If we can move on to the next phase then those families buying our homes can vacate their smaller, cheaper houses and give first home buyers a chance to get into the market.
“We can’t solve a housing crisis by refusing to build more houses.”
Nichols Crowder director Michael Crowder echoed the call for change along the highway.
He said strip used to be considered a “prime location” and was a once sought after address for lawyers, real estate agents and banks.
“Those professions have all moved out now, including us,” he said.
“Many of the buildings we’re trying to lease have demolition clauses and short term leases.
“Most business don’t want to pay set up costs for a space they can only have for a couple of years.”
He understood the arguments of those fighting high rise developments on the beachside of the highway.
However, “making the numbers work” on three or four storey apartment developments was no longer feasible for developers.