For the past few days, ABC Melbourne has been creating a talkback fest to make-believe the electorate is looking happily forward to having this city blown up and out beyond recognition and beyond their control. I've received a plethora of emails and phone calls indicating the exact opposite. People are watching the Melbourne Planning crash and burn show with horror. This article publishes letters desperately asking Jacinta Allan and Sonya Kilkenny and Katherine Copsey to consult properly with the electorate. All these letters were unanswered, indicating a breathtaking level of contempt for the electorate. The politicians in question whose addresses appeared in the "To:" line simply ignored this well-informed, well-written, correspondence, which also cited and linked to hundreds of other objectors.
Unanswered complaint letters to Premier Jacinta Allan and other Victorian politicians
....Unanswered....
Sent: 01 November 2024 2:17 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; Katherine Copsey <[email protected]>
Subject: Don't listen to the blockers Jacinta
‘Don’t listen to the blockers who say my plan means high-rises on every street – that’s ridiculous. The biggest change you will notice is more townhouses and low-rise units closer to the station: gentle density. There will be increased height hugging the train stations. That’s the right place for it. But we’ll listen to you to get the level right.’
You have a wonderful community. You love it because it’s close to good schools, shops and transport – the things you need, and the people you love. Your kids – anyone’s kids – deserve the opportunity to live there one day, too. On current trends, they won’t have that chance. That’s why the status quo needs to change.
Your words Jacinta to Brighton. Forget the rest of Bayside though or anyone else. We don't really count.
You clear, lying words. Come to your proposed MAC and have a look for yourself what 6 storeys in a suburban street looks like. Next to other apartments in the same street that have been on the market for months and will not sell.
We all deserve the opportunity to live wherever we like Jacinta. I would like to live on Beach Road - why don't you make that happen for me? Because that is not how it really works is it Jacinta? My kids would like to play in a garden, and have their friends come round for a quiet and private BBQ in the backyard. I guess your kids can do that, but you reserve the right to take that opportunity away from mine?
Rather than encouraging the destruction of established gardens, trees, the tree canopy and perfectly livable houses, rather than working hard to save what makes these peaceful heritage Melbourne suburbs what they are, rather than finding suitable locations to provide proper affordable public housing which is literally one of your core deliverables, rather than investing in satellite cities to carry some of the growth burden, or fund the required infrastructure to support the new development areas, you decide to take the easiest and cheapest route possible - give the green light to developers with little to no control / governance to quality of build, to environment or even a requirement to plant a tuft of grass, utilise the existing framework of stations, schools and shops to build apartments that nobody wants to live in selling for a price that the very target market you speak of cannot afford. A short term vision like this is not going to set up "my kids" or anybody else's in this state.
Here is what the community is saying if you are at all interested.
https://www.change.org/stopthebuild
https://www.change.org/p/keep-public-land-for-public-good
I beg you to listen to the communities I beg you to understand and stand next to the apartments you ask for next time you walk through the streets of Bayside or Camberwell or Malvern and admire the trees, and heritage homes and feel a sense of pride that the respect has been shown to allow those homes and those trees to continue to stand tall - understand that when it is all gone, it will be your name attached to that destruction.
Regards,
Redacted
...Unanswered ...
From: [Redacted]
Sent: 03 October 2024 3:20 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Activity Centres are set to destroy Melbourne
Good afternoon Ms Allen,
My name is [Redacted] and I've been a resident in Hampton East for 20 years, and we currently own two homes that fall in the "catchment" area of the Moorabbin Activity Centre.
I have submitted my feedback regarding the programme via the official channels, I have emailed Sonya Kilkenny twice, I have emailed the Bayside City Council, as well as the VPA and Bayside News and also started a petition (https://www.change.org/stopthebuild) that now has almost 200 local residents joining together to stop this excessive residential building plan moving forward in our little pocket of Bayside.
With little communication or consultation with our community you have decided that towering 5,6,7,8 storey apartments sitting in quiet, residential streets in this so called "catchment" area will be the perfect solution to what exactly? "Affordable Housing?" Apartments that will still demand upward of $1,000,000?
What it will be is heartbreaking to our community, our tree canopy that residents collectively have helped grow and thrive for decades will be lost to multi-storey nightmares that will destroy everything this little pocket of Bayside has worked so hard to create. A pocket of Bayside Season 19 of The Block was happy to show off to the rest of the country, a pocket of Bayside that still draws young families in, willing to invest millions to have a safe, quiet and community suburb to raise their children.
The same story goes across all of your "Activity Centres". https://www.vic.gov.au/housing-statement "Victoria is number one in Australia for approving and building homes."
This is not the flex you think it is. This is the systematic destruction of Victoria, the suburbs, communities and the environment.
|
|
Finding an affordable home is becoming harder than ever before. That’s why this Housing Statement puts forward an ambitious plan to tackle the root of the problem: housing supply. |
Many residents I've spoken to are wondering whether to leave, and those that have recently bought are questioning whether they have made the right decision. We chose to live here because of all the wonderful aspects the location brings. Many have paid a considerable sum to renovate historical homes, landscape gardens and continue to provide "leafy, tree lined streets" to all that come through - in short many residents here have pride in their home, their community and Bayside.
Residents are begging you to please make a difference, a change to ensure the VPA's "catchment" area doesn't cannibalise the very soul of the community you want to exploit. YOU can stop this.
Sadly, my family and I have voted Labor for over 40 years. Never again.
Kind Regards,
[Redacted]
...Unanswered ...
From: [Redacted]
Sent: 30 September 2024 8:24 AM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Concerns Regarding the Proposed Moorabbin Activity Centre Plan
Good morning,
To provide further update regarding the petition response, we are now over 100 local residents in Hampton East that are against the MAC and growing. Here is a snippet of feedback from the community:
I call on you once again to consider the impact on those of us who call Hampton East home. Many of us have invested years in creating the green, tree-lined streets and strong community bonds that define this area. We're not opposed to progress, but we seek a more balanced approach that enhances rather than fundamentally alters our quality of life.
This is our lives, and ultimately our votes.
[Redacted]
... Unanswered ...
From: [Redacted]
Sent: 29 September 2024 15:39
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Concerns Regarding the Proposed Moorabbin Activity Centre Plan
Good afternoon,
I have reached out to current Minister of Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, local media and Bayside City Council. There is also a live petition here: https://www.change.org/stopthebuild where you can see how over 70 of our local residents in a tiny suburban pocket of Hampton East have reacted and continuing to do so. Here is a picture of the pocket we are talking about:
Sign the Petition
Halt the Moorabbin Activity Centre Plan for Excessive Residential Building
www.change.org
In short, I am writing to express my significant concerns about the proposed Moorabbin Activity Centre Plan, particularly regarding the highlighted catchment areas. As a long-time resident and homeowner in Hampton East, I believe this plan, if implemented as proposed, would substantially alter our community's character and livability in ways that warrant serious reconsideration.
Key Concerns:
- Building Heights: The plan's provisions for increased building heights seem incompatible with our suburban landscape. This level of development could overshadow existing homes and potentially strain our local infrastructure.
- Extension of Activity Centre Boundaries: The expansion of the "catchment area" into established residential neighborhoods, especially in Hampton East, appears to overlook our community's natural boundaries and local identity.
- Community Impact: While I recognise the need for urban development, the current plan seems to prioritise density without fully addressing community wellbeing, infrastructure needs, environmental preservation, and the maintenance of our suburban character.
- Resident Displacement: The proposed changes could significantly impact long-term residents who have built their lives and homes here, contributing to the very community atmosphere that makes this area desirable.
Requests for Consideration:
- Re-evaluate building height limits and catchment area boundaries.
- Engage in further consultation with residents and the Bayside City Council to better understand local concerns.
- Develop a vision that balances necessary development with the preservation of our community's unique character.
I urge you to consider the impact on those of us who call Hampton East home. Many of us have invested years in creating the green, tree-lined streets and strong community bonds that define this area. We're not opposed to progress, but we seek a more balanced approach that enhances rather than fundamentally alters our quality of life.
Thank you for your time and consideration I hope you can better understand the devastating impact you will have on our little, private and respectful community.
Kind Regards,
[Redacted]
... Unanswered ...
From: [Redacted]
Sent: 29 September 2024 3:05 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Moorabbin Activity Centre Planning Proposal - Petition Update
Good Afternoon Ms Kilkenny,
I wanted to provide an update from our small Hampton East community your "Moorabbin Activity Centre Plan" threatens to destroy.
https://www.change.org/stopthebuild
Sign the Petition
Halt the Moorabbin Activity Centre Plan for Excessive Residential Building
www.change.org
We now have 70 local residents in your "catchment" area (refer to picture and highlighted red square) that are opposed to the build of up to 6 storey apartments allowed here. I beg you and your team PLEASE consider how inappropriate this suggestion is for this little pocket. We have families moving out because of your proposal, and those that move in were unaware and have paid upward of $1.5 million for homes (with majority over $2 million) they thought they could raise families in a quiet suburban neighbourhood which is under the threat destruction.
There are brilliant locations just over South Road and Nepean Hwy that will provide all of the benefits you so humanely state, including affordable housing and walking distance to shops / train station etc and that are also geared for greater traffic and high rise living. This pocket of Hampton East is NOT IT.
Our community is in your hands, PLEASE DO NOT DESTROY everything we have worked so hard to achieve. Please reconsider allowing 5 - 6 storeys here please. Please stop and consider the very soul of this community, our homes, heritage and environment. You are welcome to my home, come see this community for yourself I am happy to show you what you can ultimately destroy.
Once again thank you for your time
[Redacted]
...Unanswered ...
From: Redacted
Sent: 26 September 2024 09:30
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Moorabbin Activity Centre Planning Proposal
Dear Ms Kilkenny,
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the proposed Moorabbin Activity Centre Plan. As a long-time resident of the area and multiple "land owner" as you so disrespectfully describe us, I believe this plan, if implemented, would fundamentally alter the character and livability of our community in ways that are neither desirable nor necessary.
The plan's provisions for excessive building heights are completely out of step with our suburban landscape. This intensive development threatens to overshadow existing homes, strain our already burdened infrastructure, and erode the very qualities that make Hampton East a desirable place to live.
Furthermore, the arbitrary extension of the activity centre's "catchment area" into established residential neighbourhoods, particularly in Hampton East, shows a disregard for our community's natural boundaries and local identities. This top-down approach to urban planning fails to respect the unique character of our diverse neighborhoods.
While I understand the need for thoughtful urban development, this plan appears to prioritise density over community wellbeing. It lacks adequate provisions for infrastructure upgrades, environmental preservation, and the maintenance of our suburban charm.
The level of community concern about this proposal is significant. To that end, I have initiated a petition opposing the Moorabbin Activity Centre Plan, which is now publicly available and will be distributed throughout our community in the next 48 hours.
I respectfully urge you to reconsider this plan and the actual people it impacts. We are not a "catchment". This "vision" is literally pushing existing residents out, some of us have been here for decades, have bought our dream homes, have built lives and lifestyles, have grown and built the very "green" and "tree-lined streets" you use in your marketing material and also the community you are looking to destroy. We need a vision that better balances necessary development with the preservation of our community's character—one that enhances rather than diminishes our quality of life.
Thank you for your attention to this crucial issue. I realise my voice will never be enough to be heard, but I hope something in this message makes you stop and think even for a moment. How would you feel if this happened in your neighbourhood? Next door to you? 6 storeys looking into your backyard and through your windows? What right do you have to impact our lives and homes in this way?
Kind Regards,
[Redacted]
Hi Sheila,
As mentioned this is the first one I sent to Ms Allan. I'm sorry it is a little emotional. It was at the start of this nightmare and i was at a loss.
Of course it went Unanswered.
From: [Redacted]
Sent: 03 October 2024 3:20 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Activity Centres are set to destroy Melbourne
Good afternoon Ms Allen,
My name is [Redacted] and I've been a resident in Hampton East for 20 years, and we currently own two homes that fall in the "catchment" area of the Moorabbin Activity Centre.
I have submitted my feedback regarding the programme via the official channels, I have emailed Sonya Kilkenny twice, I have emailed the Bayside City Council, as well as the VPA and Bayside News and also started a petition (https://www.change.org/stopthebuild) that now has almost 200 local residents joining together to stop this excessive residential building plan moving forward in our little pocket of Bayside.
With little communication or consultation with our community you have decided that towering 5,6,7,8 storey apartments sitting in quiet, residential streets in this so called "catchment" area will be the perfect solution to what exactly? "Affordable Housing?" Apartments that will still demand upward of $1,000,000?
What it will be is heartbreaking to our community, our tree canopy that residents collectively have helped grow and thrive for decades will be lost to multi-storey nightmares that will destroy everything this little pocket of Bayside has worked so hard to create. A pocket of Bayside Season 19 of The Block was happy to show off to the rest of the country, a pocket of Bayside that still draws young families in, willing to invest millions to have a safe, quiet and community suburb to raise their children.
The same story goes across all of your "Activity Centres". https://www.vic.gov.au/housing-statement "Victoria is number one in Australia for approving and building homes."
This is not the flex you think it is. This is the systematic destruction of Victoria, the suburbs, communities and the environment.
Victoria’s Housing Statement
Finding an affordable home is becoming harder than ever before. That’s why this Housing Statement puts forward an ambitious plan to tackle the root of the problem: housing supply.
www.vic.gov.au
Many residents I've spoken to are wondering whether to leave, and those that have recently bought are questioning whether they have made the right decision. We chose to live here because of all the wonderful aspects the location brings. Many have paid a considerable sum to renovate historical homes, landscape gardens and continue to provide "leafy, tree lined streets" to all that come through - in short many residents here have pride in their home, their community and Bayside.
Residents are begging you to please make a difference, a change to ensure the VPA's "catchment" area doesn't cannibalise the very soul of the community you want to exploit. YOU can stop this.
Sadly, my family and I have voted Labor for over 40 years. Never again.
Kind Regards,
[Redacted]
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