Community to help with Triangle Site issues

After 8 years, the St Kilda triangle planning process has come down to just 2 outstanding issues... protection of views and the economic impact on neighbouring businesses.

A meeting of the City of Port Phillip Statutory Planning Committee attended by over 700 people last Thursday supported the proposal but deferred consideration of the development until a special council meeting on January 24, 2008. The deferral will allow more time to work with the developer to prepare detailed submissions on the two unresolved issues.

The council will commission an independent micro-economic assessment on existing centres and net community benefit as a guide to assessing the tenancy mix of the development. It will also facilitate discussion on protecting the views from the Upper Esplanade with the developer Citta and key stakeholders.

Thursday night's meeting at St Kilda Town Hall noted that key outcomes envisaged by the Port Phillip planning scheme and urban design framework had been achieved by the proposal. Port Phillip mayor Cr Janet Cribbes said the triangle development will go ahead, but not until council has more information.

Follow this link for more information on the St Kilda Site.

In a landmark decision handed down on Wednesday, the Victorian and Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has issued a permit for the controversial St Kilda skate park to be built on the corner of Fitzroy Street and Lakeside Drive in Albert Park Reserve. The $400,000 skate park will be supervised 18 hours a week, mostly after school.

The proposed skate park is a low level bowl set within a three-level plaza which is paved in part with pre-cast concrete pavers. The skating area will occupy 728 sqm with the bowl approximately 1.2 metres deep. The skate bowl and its surrounding plaza will be contained within an embankment, largely planted with native grasses and shade trees including Yellow Box gum trees. This will serve as a buffer between the skate bowl and the surrounding parkland.

Parks Victoria, which has responsibility for the park, and Victoria Police supported the council decision.

Click here to read the official media release.

Monday 24 December:
Normal services

Christmas Day:
All Town Halls closed

Boxing Day:
All Town Halls closed

Thursday, Friday & Monday 27, 28 & 31 December:
Full telephone services and St Kilda Town Hall service centre and cashier open.
South Melbourne & Port Melbourne ASSIST/cashier desks closed.
222 Bank St South Melbourne public reception area closed.

Tuesday 1 January 2008:
All Town Halls closed

Wednesday 2 January 2008:
Normal operations resume

Emergency and on call services will be available on all days. Further enquiries contact ASSIST on 9209 6777

Clearing up after the holiday cheer?
There are changes to scheduled rubbish collections during the holiday period.

Christmas Day, 25 December (Tuesday) will be collected on 26 December (Wednesday).
Boxing Day, 26 December (Wednesday) will be collected on 27 December 2007 (Thursday).
27 December (Thursday) will be collected on 28 December (Friday).
28 December (Friday) will be collected on 29 December (Saturday).
New Years Day, 1 January 2008 (Tuesday) will be as normal collection, no changes.

Transfer Station and Depot Operating hours:
Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 3.30pm.
Closed: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Years Day.

On Thursday, 6 December, City of Port Phillip councillors elected two Janets as its mayoral team. Janet Cribbes is the new mayor while out-going mayor, Janet Bolitho, takes up the position of deputy.

In 2005, the two Janets became the first all-woman team in the history of Port Phillip, though in reverse roles.

Cr Cribbes, who represents Ormond Ward covering Elwood and Ripponlea, told the council's annual general meeting that she would be bringing the same level of passion and commitment she feels for her local area to the whole municipality.

For more information on the election of the new mayor, read the official media release.

Newly elected mayor, Janet Cribbes with her daughter and daughter's friend.