I 2 I CONTENTS I Page No I 1. INTRODUCTION 3 I 2. EXHIBITION OF AMENDMENT L 160 4 I 3. SUBJECT SITE AND SURROUNDS 5 'I 4. STATUTORY PLANNING CONTEXT 9 I 5. STRATEGIC PLANNING CONTEXT 13 I 6. PROPOSAL 20 7. SUBMISSION REGARDING AMENDLENT L 160 29 I 8. ASSESSMENT OF SUBMISSION AND PLANNING ISSUES 35 I 9. CONCLUSION 43 I I Infrastructure Ubral'y I I I I 711 . 4099 00111192 451 MEL:M [Melbourne Metropolitan I (1995) Planning Scheme] Amendment L 160 panel hearing : submission on I behalf of the City of Melbourne I I 3 I 1.0 INTRODUCTION I 1.1 The purpose of the exhibited Amendment L 160 is to facilitate the expansion of the Carlton Stadium, Princes Park, Carlton North. I 1.2 The exhibited amendment alters the provisions of Clause 125 of the Local Section of Part 1 of the Melbourne Planning Scheme (Reserved Land I marked 'Public Open Space') by inserting a new Clause 125-12 and an incorporated document named 'The Melbourne Planning Scheme, Non­ I Central City Specific Site Controls, Document No 10, 22 September 1994' in the schedule of specific site controls. I 1.3 Specifically, this new document allows the affected land to be developed for a new granstand at the eastern end of the stadium which will I accommodate a net increase of 10,500 spectators. The length of the playing field is to be increased by 6 metres and it is proposed to extend the I stadium beyond its existing boundaries to accommodate the new stand. I The exhibited amendment also allows for the construction of light towers in order to utilise the stadium at night and further provides for greater use of I the John Elliott Stand facilities than is currently permitted. 1.4 The incorporated document introduced by the exhibited amendment I includes a concept plan and controls over use and development of land to which it relates. Detailed development plans for all buildings and works I must be approved by the Responsible Authority before buildings and works can commence and must be generally in accordance with the concept plan I and conditions. I 1.5 Lastly, the amendment also inserts a new Clause 135-5 in the Local Section Part 1 of the Melbourne Planning Scheme which will exempt the proposal from requiring further planning permissions for buildings and I works in an Urban Conservation Area No 2. I The amendment will allow the expanded stadium to be used without a permit for the purposes of recreation or social, cultural, or educational or I similar activities and associated purposes. I I I 4 I 2.0 EXHIBITION OF AMENDMENT l 160 I 2.1 The amendment was placed on exhibition from 22 September to 24 I October 1994. I 2.2 The form of exhibition was as follows : Notice in Government Gazette on 22 September 1994 I Notices placed in the following newspapers : I Melbourne Times- 21 September and 28 September 1994 Melbourne Leader- 20 September and 27 September 1994 I The Age - 21 September and 28 September 1994 I Notices posted to 167 households in the immediate area I 2.3 As well as the above, a consultative process was undertaken with the following interested groups and government organisations : I • the City of Melbourne and officers from its relevant various departments; I • the City of Yarra; • the Club, its representatives and consultants; I • Department of Planning and Development; • North Carlton Residents' Association; I • Parkville Association; • Princes Hill Secondary College, and I • the North Carlton Branch of the Australian Labor Party These representatives met on two occasions prior to the exhibition of the I amendment. The purpose of these meetings was to brief the community representatives on known details of the proposal as it was being formulated I and to seek identification of potential relevant issues. I I I I 5 I 2.4 During the formal exhibition period, a total 113 submissions were received I by Council, 30 submissions in support of the amendment and 83 submissions in .opposition. A petition objecting to the amendment was also I signed by 74 people. I 3.0 SUBJECT SITE AND SURROUNDS I 3.1 The exhibited amendment specifically affects the Carlton Stadium which is located in the northern half of Princes Park. I Abutting the perimeters of Princes Park are Park Street and Bowen Crescent to the north, Princes Park Drive and Garton Street to the east, I Cemetery Road to the south and Royal Parade to the west. Apart from the stadium the park has been developed with a number of active and passive I recreation areas. I 3.3 The highlights from Princes Park's history are summarised in the following paragraphs from the Interim Master Plan 1986 to provide a perspective on I the present situation. "1845 Superitendent Latrobe trentatively reserved 2,560 acres for I recreational purposes to the north of Melbourne. Princes Park is a I remnant of this initiative. 1873 Princes Park (comprising approximately 97 acres) was I permanently reserved and rested jointly in the Ministry of Lands and the Melbourne City Council (MCC). I The Crown Grant of June 13, 1873 specified that Princes Park should be "used for recreation and amusement of our subjects and I people". I 1875 Approval was granted by the Secretary of Lands and work was commenced on the construction of an internal carriage drive to I circumnavigate Princes Park. The carriage drive was finally opened in 1892, however, its actual use did not seem to comply I I I 6 I with the envisaged use and it was plagued with problems right up until 1981 when it was closed to the public. I 1878 The Council (MCC) received an enourmous petition of 5,650 signatures demanding the establishment of an oval for Football in I Princes Park, because the Carlton Football Club (CFC) had been forced to vacate a former oval. The CFC was allowed to erect a I temporary fence around a site at the southern end of Princes Park. I 1880s This decade saw gradual demands for use of Princes Park from the Bowling Club, the Carlton Cricket Club (CCC), and the Orleans I and Carlton Imperial Cricket Clubs. 1885 In the Annual Report for Princes Park it is noted than planting I works were being carried out. Also the strip of land between Haltom Street and Sydney Road was excised for the construction I of the North Carlton Railway line. I Finally, the new brick curator's lodge was constructed, I 1886 Council (MCC) finally granted permissive occupancy for one acre of land north of the railway to the persistent Princes Hill Bowling Club (now the Princes Park Bowling Club). That same year, the I CFC amalgamated with the CCC (the latter of which had been located on the triangular strip of land to the south of Princes Park I where University College now resides). They were permitted to take joint permissive occupancy of the area west of the original I Football ground - the location of the ground was changed to reduce disturbances to funerals taking place in the Melbourne I Cemetery. 1898 The CFC and CCC were granted permissive occupancy of the I Carlton Recreation Reserve - the present location of the Carlton I Football Ground. I I I I 7 I The early 1900s The Grandstand and Club facilities were erected in the Carlton I Recreation Ground. Electric lights were erected along the major park pathways. I 1919 In response to the latest fashion, the MCC allowed the construction of two public courts with a dressing pavilion and I drinking fountain. I 1921 A children's playground was constructed adjacent to the tennis courts so that a caretaker could control both the playground and I tennis courts simultaneously. Male and female toilets were located nearby. I 1922 Works were carried out under the banner of unemployment relief I including planting, pathways and grassed walks. 1925 The Parks and Gardens Committee decided to embark on a series I of projects to beautify the northern portion of the Park including ploughing, sowing, planting and mounding, as well as lake I formation. I 1936 Princes Park Drive was constructed. 1937 The Lake in the northern most portion of Princes Park was I converted into a children's' wading pool with a concreted base. The regulations for use of the pool were posted nearby. I 1938 Two sports pavilions were constructed on the Royal Parade side of I the Princes Park" I 3.4 At present the Carlton Stadium has the capacity to hold 32,500 spectators. 3.5 As well as holding AFL football matches, the Carlton Stadium has also held I special events such as the Jeff Fenech World Boxing Title fight (24,200 spectators) the AIDA musical concert (60,000 spectators over three nights), I a Rugby League match between Australia and Great Britain (31 ,000) and a I I I 8 I Soccer Match between AC Milan and the Australian Socceroos (16, 700 spectators). I In terms of attendances at AFL matches, in 1993 it ranged from 6,000 to 32,500 persons with mean and median attendances of 18,300 and 19,000 I persons respectively over 21 games. I In 1994 the range was between 14,1 00 and 29,700 spectators and the mean and median has been 22,600 and 23,700 spectators. I 3.6 In terms of usage of the overall park, as previously stated it is used by a I wider variety users for active and passive open space.