JUNE 2011 ISSUE 65 PRICELESS WWW.DOCKLANDSNEWS.COM.AU : Docklands_News Community garden Welcome to Invensys Rail to be uprooted Page 4 Page 2 Docklands property market Docklands continues is not THAT good to fund council Page 5 Page 3 NewQuay traders in fees revolt NewQuay’s traders are in open revolt against MAB Corporation and are taking legal action against the giant developer over what they consider to be excessive precinct management fees. Th e 30 or so traders say they have received costs, $300,000 in marketing, $100,000 in little or no value from the millions of dollars security, $80,000 in cleaning as well as that MAB has levied on them over the past maintenance and repairs. seven years and they are taking action in the Th ey say their contracts stipulate that they Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal should have access to spending details (VCAT). but MAB has said they are not entitled to Th ey want a refund if the money has the information. been misspent and they want their MAB denies it has not been fully contracts revoked. transparent but says that, as it has now MAB says it can account for every cent spent outsourced the precinct management on the precinct and it welcomes the VCAT function to Jones Lang LaSalle, technically it action as an opportunity to clear the air. is no longer responsible. Th e traders took action last November A MAB spokesperson said the precinct and were before VCAT on April 13. At this spending was independently audited every hearing, VCAT gave them until June 1 to fi le year. He said once the VCAT action had been their claim. Th e case has been adjourned resolved, MAB was considering handing back Lady Chelmsford recovery underway until July 13. the precinct management function. Retail owners in NewQuay signed up for 10 “We are wondering what is the best way to By Gabe Andrews Th e Department of Transport’s security years of precinct management fees deal with this,” the spokesperson said. “Is it and emergency management division is and promotional levy when they bought appropriate to hand it over to the retailers? overseeing operations being conducted by their properties. Or would it be detrimental to the precinct.” Work has fi nally begun to insurer Nautilus Marine to raise the vessel. Th e traders say their contracts indicate that A Department of Transport spokesperson But, with a shrinking number of car parking recover the 'Lady Chelmsford', they should be charged $34 per square metre said the salvage operation had been carefully spaces in the precinct and diffi cult trading which sank at its berth at annually, but that the charges are closer to planned using divers to assess the vessel’s conditions, they say they can’t aff ord the levy $90 per square metre. Central Pier in February 2008. condition and to make sure all precautionary and some have stopped paying. measures were in place. Th ey claim that MAB won’t reveal details of Th is, they say, makes doing business at A marine exclusion zone has been marked, Th e spokesperson said salvaging the Lady where the almost $1 million in annual fees is NewQuay more expensive than at Chadstone a crane barge is in place and divers have Chelmsford would “clear the way for other spent and they suspect that MAB is spending shopping centre – and they are not provided started to cut the boat up. vessels to access the berth at Central Pier the money on its own administration and with anywhere near the same facilities to attract customers. and remove a potential pollution and marketing of apartments. Concerns over the structural integrity of the waterways safety hazard.” 33.5 metre vessel have meant that it will be Th e traders claim that MAB has refused to recovered in pieces. See youtube.com/watch?v=_ONTx_d16LQ detail $400,000 in annual administrative 2 DOCKLANDS NEWS ISSUE 65 Collision course on serviced Suite 108, 198 Harbour Esplanade PO Box 23008 Docklands 8012 Tel: 8689 7979 Fax: 9602 2929 apartments www.docklandsnews.com.au Advertising Th e City of Melbourne is on a Tel: 8689 7979 Fax: 9602 2929 collision course with owners [email protected] of serviced apartments at Reader contributions are welcome. Please send articles and images to Watergate. [email protected] Deadline for the July edition is June 27. Th e council will demand they either comply with building regulations governing hotels or stop short-term renting. In April the council’s building department wrote to owners and gave them 30 days to “show cause” why they should not be forced to comply with building regulations covering hotel accommodation (class 3). Th e owners say renting as serviced Photography Hilary Bradford. apartments is a residential activity and they should not have to “show cause”. But the council has met the owners and agents and is unimpressed with their claim Community garden that serviced apartment use fi ts within the building classifi cation of a residential apartment, as defi ned by the Building Code Esplanade of Australia. to be uprooted A spokesperson said the council had granted an extension of time for additional man quits information to be provided to demonstrate Urban Reforestation’s community garden is on the move next that the apartments “either comply or to otherwise justify why the apartments should Th e man responsible for month a short distance to another temporary location at the not either be converted back to typical the Harbour Esplanade Victoria Harbour end of Merchant St. apartment use or a building permit (be) obtained to convert the apartments to short- redevelopment has quit. term hotel-style accommodation.” Lend Lease plans to install temporary Competing against Urban Reforestation for VicUrban’s Docklands infrastructure director seating and a barbecue area on the garden’s the award are: Coca-Cola South Pacifi c Pty Th e council spokesperson said: “If the – “Project Catalyst”; Envirobank Recycling Nic Culnane resigned before Easter and current location at Water Plaza. owners cannot prove that their apartments (Australia) Ltd – “Recycle for Rewards”; and comply with the regulations, the City of worked his last day on May 6. Th e garden’s fi nal destination is Geographe Westwyck Pty Ltd – “Westwyck Ecovillage”. Melbourne will issue a building order St to the north of the Myer Building, but Th e fi rst stage of the redevelopment is due requiring a building permit be obtained to planning for this site is still underway And the sustainability consultants have also to be completed this month, with a series of convert them to class 3 or the use be reverted between VicUrban, the City of Melbourne been nominated for a Melbourne Award. remedial works being the focus. back to traditional long-term apartment use.” and Lend Lease. According to the City of Melbourne, the A second row of Norfolk Island Pines is Other serviced apartment operators and nomination is in “recognition of their being planted on the western side of the new VicUrban says the new garden will be opponents of short-term accommodation dedication to develop urban green spaces, dedicated bike path. designed by the end of this month, will be will be watching this case with interest. consulted on in July, tendered in September balcony gardens and community spaces that Th e easterly section of old tram tracks have and built by December. have a strong focus on sustainable design In NewQuay where about a quarter of all been removed to make way for the new trees. and community development.” apartments are being rented on the short- VicUrban plans to “make safe” the remaining Urban Reforestation continues to be term market, operators are under attack Nominated in the “Contribution area, which will not be redeveloped until the recognised for its community work and is from the owners corporations of the Nolan to Sustainability by a Community next stages are determined. one of four fi nalists for the Peter Szental and Conder buildings. Organisation” category, the council says Award for Sustainability Entrepreneurship. And in other personnel news, former Urban Reforestation aims to “inspire and Th e owners corporations are conducting VicUrban CEO Pru Sanderson has been Th e winner of this United Nations enable sustainable lifestyles through urban ballots on a proposed rule change to ban the appointed to a senior position with Association of Australia award will be farming and enjoyment in growing, sourcing, practice. Th e Nolan ballot closes on June 12 international consulting giant GHD. announced on June 3. preparing and sharing local food.” while the Conder ballot closes on June 17. TAKE AWAY TAPAS BAR Live music LUNCH BOX SPECIAL every thursday 6pm Mon - WED ONLY cafe / restaurant Prize draws every 1/2 hr Outside gate 9 behind the giant wine glass: win a bottle of wine Buy 2 Tapas concourse ETIHAD STADIUM SALSA class get 3rd Free BOOKINGS: 9642 1882 FREE EVERY WEDNESDAY 6.30pm in july www.docked.com.au Happy Hour 5-6pm ISSUE 65 DOCKLANDS NEWS 3 Docklands continues to fund council Th e City of Melbourne plans to return only 75 per cent of the revenue it earns from Docklands next fi nancial year. Like this year, Docklands will again $1.04 million ($500,000 capital and contribute nearly $6 million underlying $540,000 operational) to implement surplus to the council in the 2011-12 year. activities coming out of the “Second Decade” consultation process, Docklanders will pay the council $16.5 specifi cally: million in rates and a further $2.6 million in fees and charges. • Commence the delivery of actions as In return, the council will give back identifi ed in the D2 vision for Year 1; $436,000 worth of maintenance, $1.8 million • Document and commence worth of staff salaries and $6.8 million in construction of works as outlined in materials and services.