Landlord urges Melbourne City Council to see light on signage

Melbourne CBD by night is bright and buzzing but could the lights be about to dim?

Fivex chief Lesli Berger. Picture: Aaron Francis.

Melbourne CBD by night is bright and buzzing but could the lights be about to dim?

That’s the fear of one landlord who is fighting with the City of Melbourne to keep two illuminated signs atop a prominent Flinders Street office block.

Boutique property group Fivex has lodged an appeal after the council refused a permit for continued display of the signs on River View House, with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal set to hear the case within a fortnight.

The council’s Future Melbourne Planning Committee called the signs “visually obtrusive”, warning that they would detract from views of Flinders Street train station and fail to integrate appropriately with the building’s architectural features.

Fivex chief executive Lesli Berger said similar signage on the building had received the green light during various reviews over the past 15 years.

“I felt that the council didn’t respect its earlier decisions,” Mr Berger told The Australian.

“And the economic implications to us, as far as the council considered, were considered ­irrelevant.”

He estimates the value of the signage on the group’s balance sheet at $2 million, as it could lure a major tenant with the promise of naming rights.

Mr Berger is concerned that opposition to signage could affect the city skyline over time.

“Melbourne is a major city on the world stage and the policies of Melbourne City Council need to reflect that,” he said.

“Part of having that international feel and significance is making sure the city is interesting and dynamic.”

A City of Melbourne spokeswoman said sign permits usually expired 15 years after issue so new applications could be assessed against current planning controls.

“The City of Melbourne supports and approves business identification signage and major promotional signage on buildings across the city when appropriate under the Melbourne Planning Scheme,” the spokeswoman said.

The Property Council’s Victorian acting deputy executive director, Linda Allison, called for a conversation about Melbourne’s future look, given the emergence of new technology that allowed for rotating or illuminated signs.