Background Information - Kyme Place

In October 2008 Council advertised a planning application for the redevelopment and part re-use of the Kyme Place car park in Port Melbourne, to develop a four storey rooming house on part of and above the existing car park.

Council received 40 objections to the proposal and undertook internal referrals to relevant departments, such as traffic and car parking, waste management and urban design. As a result of those responses, both from the community and internally, the applicant was advised to consider a redesign to respond to concerns raised regarding the scale of the proposal to Liardet Street, loss of surveillance into the car park and the inadequacy of manoeuvres in and out of the car park and Kyme Place itself

The applicant has now formally lodged a revised proposal for Council's consideration in a response to the issues raised and Council's decision will be based upon the revised plans. The amendments include (but are not limited to) the following alterations:

• 31 studio apartments with shared communal facilities
• Net loss of 5 existing public car parking spaces on site
• No designated resident or visitor car parking is proposed for the rooming house
• The application is seeking approval from Council to waive the car parking requirements contained within the Planning Scheme.
  

A copy of the original advertised plans and a copy of the amended plans are available for viewing and copying at both the Port Melbourne and St Kilda Town Halls. A special independent planning committee has been formed to make the decision on this application and will make its determination on the revised set of plans. 

Noting that the timelines may change, Monday 20 April 2009 has been set aside for the panel to meet and consider the application.  This meeting will be held in the Port Melbourne Town Hall commencing at 6pm and will be open to the public to hear discussion and make verbal submissions in support of any written submissions.  A copy of the council officer report assessing the revised application will be available on the City of Port Phillip website by Monday 6 April 2009.

If you have already lodged an objection, it will continue to form part of the planning officer's consideration, thus it is not necessary to re-lodge that objection. However, if you wish to object for the first time or wish to add to your original objection please quote Application No. 1043/2008 and send your name, address and comments to Council in writing to Janine Laver Duce, Statutory Planning, Private Bag 3, PO St Kilda, Victoria 3182 or via email to: planhelp@portphillip.vic.gov.au. Please refrain from emailing the planning officer directly to avoid your objection not being registered in the application database.

The application is currently being readvertised, with 161 notification letters sent to nearby property owners and occupiers, two large scale advertising boards erected on the Kyme Place Car Park entrances.

The statutory advertising period is 14 days from the date that the last notice was given. This means that while advertising letters have already been sent out, the actual advertising period will continue for 14 days after the date the boards are erected on the site.

A recommendation on the planning application will not be made until the advertising period is complete.
Irrespective of the statutory advertising period, interested parties can lodge objections or letters of support any time up until a decision is made.

Those Responsible

Council's Senior Planning Officer - Janine Laver Duce - is the responsible officer for assessing the applicant's material and any objections or letters of support that may be lodged, against the provisions of the Planning Scheme.

Ms Laver Duce will write a report and make a recommendation to a special committee that has been  delegated responsibility to make the planning decision on behalf of Council as Responsible Planning Authority.

The Committee comprises

• Henry Turnbull - Independent expert and Chairperson
• Fiona Costall - Independent expert
• Brad Hooper - Resident
• Anthy Akritidis - Resident 
• Judith Klepner - Councillor.
   
  

More Information

Regarding the nature and detail of the application you can contact Janine Laver Duce of the planning department on 9209 6424.

To inspect or obtain copies of the plans and/or the applicant's supporting submissions please visit the Council Offices at the St Kilda Town Hall or Port Melbourne Town Hall during office hours on weekdays.

To obtain information with regard to the operations, properties and tenants of Port Phillip Housing Association please contact the Association on 9534 5837 or by email at stkilda@ppha.org.au.

To lodge a letter of objection or support please either post correspondence to

Janine Laver Duce,
Statutory Planning,
Private Bag No. 3,
PO Box St Kilda, Vic 3182;

fax to Statutory Planning on 9536 2740;

or email Statutory Planning at planhelp@portphillip.vic.gov.au.
 

Project Planning Assessment Panel Briefing - October 2008

Port Melbourne Affordable Housing Project Planning Assessment Panel Committee

The Strategy & Policy Review Committee recommended on 2 June that the transfer of land process be deferred, and that the statutory planning processes proceed instead. At a council meeting on 23 June it was recommended to establish a Port Melbourne Affordable Housing Panel.
 

Context

In response to the current housing affordability crisis Port Phillip Housing and Office of Housing are proposing to build self contained singles accommodation in Kyme Place, Port Melbourne. The housing will be located largely in the air space above the car park. To do this they must apply for a planning permit to the Council.

This proposal is supported through the Community Plan, the Council Plan and the council's Housing Strategy.
 

What is Proposed for the Development?

The below information relates to the initial proposal only. This initial proposal is subject to change based on any submissions received.

At this stage the proposed community housing will comprise self-contained singles housing with a total of 31 apartments. The apartments at this stage may comprise 4 x 1 bedroom apartments and 27 studio apartments (subject to modification of unit mix without exceeding the total number of units).

A building has been designed by MGS Architects for PPHA to a concept level only.  This design will need to be formally tested during the planning process. These are the same architects that designed the successful Woodstock project in Balaclava. Council also developed Excelsior Hall at 201 Princes Street, Port Melbourne which is the conversion of a historic hall into singles housing. The proposed building will be required by council to have a high level of design standard including meeting the planning regulations associated with any overshadowing from the building.
 

What Will Happen to the Car Parking Spaces?
It is proposed that the accommodation will be built above the current carpark.

The car park on the site will be reduced from 33 spaces to 26.  However two new car spaces will be created in front of the current car park entry and council has found five additional spaces that can be created within a short walking distance.

The current, two hour parking restrictions are not proposed to be changed for the replacement car park.
 

What is Community Housing, Who Will Live in the Housing and How Will it be Managed?

Community housing provided under the Port Phillip Housing Trust is affordable, rental housing for lower income households with residency links to Port Phillip. They typically pay rent comprising 25% of their income. The residents will be single persons, both male and female.

The housing will be owned, developed and managed by Port Phillip Housing Association under the Port Phillip Housing Trust that was established 2004-2006.

In addition to developing the site, PPHA will manage the property and be responsible for tenancy management (selection, entering into lease agreements with residents and ongoing management) as well as property maintenance. PPHA has operated as a community housing manager since 1986 and has extensive experience in community housing management and development, with a reputation as being one of the leading community housing organisations in Australia.
 

What Will the Effect on Kyme Place be for Access to our Properties/Businesses?
Access to the replacement car park will be located off Kyme Place instead of being off both Liardet Street and Kyme Place. Kyme Place will continue to be used for access to the car park and businesses and residents using Kyme Place for vehicle access.

Kyme Place will be widened on the car park side at Liardet Street to create a passing bay to assist vehicle travel in both directions. The turning circle required by planning permit 629/98/J in 1998 to enable vehicles entering and leaving the driveway to 200-202 Bay Street will be maintained and protected by incorporating a 10.57 m2  piece of land opposite the driveway into the Kyme Place road through a proposed plan of subdivision.

A small section of road (16.54 m2 ) that is located within the car park and is the remains of a former lane that ran across the car park will be discontinued and consolidated into the car park.  This land is not currently used by vehicles using Kyme Place.
 

Traffic and Parking Information

Based on surveys of land uses similar to those mooted for the proposed site, experience at other sites has shown a parking demand of one space per 22 units.  the parking demand rate is much much lower tha conventional housing due to the low income levels of the occupants.  Traffic generation rates are similarly much much lower than conventional hosuing.

Any proposals developed for Kyme Place will be required to be accompanied by an independent traffic and parking assessment of the proposal outlining the proposed car parking supply, expected traffic volumes generated by the proposal, assessment of turning circles and any other relevant traffic and parking issues that the proposal may generate.
 

Contact Information

Eva Parkin
Business Liason Officer
92096443
eparkin@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Janine Laver Duce
Senior Urban Planner
9209 6374
jlaver@portphillip.vic.gov.au