AUGUST 2013 ISSUE 89 PRICELESS WWW.DOCKLANDSNEWS.COM.AU : Docklands_News Pavilion for community garden $18 million investment in Page 5 community facilities. Page 3 Mirvac to start on commercial Maritime Porthole Gallery development to open at Harbour Town. Page 4 Page 7 Guy declares war on short-stays By Bethany Williams Planning Minister Matthew Guy has vowed to increase the power of Docklands owners corporations to regulate short-stay apartments in their buildings. Mr Guy said his determination to curb short-stay operators. short-stays in residential buildings followed Mr Guy didn’t provide a time-frame for lobbying from the City of Melbourne and the introduction of the stronger powers for Docklands residents. owners, saying: “I don’t think it will happen “Council and residents have been behind the overnight.” push and I think they’re right,” Mr Guy said. Watergate owners corporation chair Barbara Th e City of Melbourne has made its Francis said: “We’re very pleased that the opposition to short-stay apartments clear. planning minister will be taking action.” It is currently mounting an appeal in the Short-stay operators and associated Victorian Court of Appeal against a Supreme businesses are expected to challenge the Court decision which allowed short-stay move. operator Paul Salter to continue running his Watergate-based business. Paul Salter is also the chairman of the Th e current appeal follows a lengthy legal Victorian Accommodation Services battle, which originated in 2012 when Mr Association (VASA), which represents Salter appealed building orders issued by accommodation providers and businesses council at the Building Appeals Board. that provide associated businesses such as cafes, restaurants and retailers. Mr Guy said Docklands was a residential suburb and people who bought apartments “Property owners have a fundamental right in the area didn’t expect to be living in to use their property for accommodation “Chapel Street in the sky”. purposes irrespective of the length of stay,” Mr Salter said. Holidays bring a buzz He described the issue of serviced apartments as “considerable” and said it was time that the “In addition, Melbourne has a State Government looked at laws to strengthen responsibility to provide a suitable range of Docklands enjoyed a booming school holidays last month. the powers of owners corporations. accommodation to visitors in our city.” “Our intention is to empower owners “VASA is preparing a formal submission to You couldn’t get a seat on the city circle tram and snow play area at Harbour Town. corporations to manage short-stay operators the Victorian Government. We are confi dent and there were kids everywhere. in the buildings they run,” Mr Guy said. Four-year-old Hannah Blamires (pictured the information and solutions proposed Highlights included baby chicks at Th e Hub above) had plenty of fun frolicking in the He said, currently, owners corporations by the association will help resolve any along with craft workshops, an animal farm snow. had very little power to penalise or manage concerns the government might have.” 23 Aquitania Way 15 St Mangos Lane 9602 2234 9670 8228 www.newquay.com.au www.achelya.com.au SALON www.aquahairdressing.com.au Breakfast, lunch & dinner! AM & PM 50%off hair bookings in August! 45 NewQuay Promenade | 9670 0199 www.berth.com.au | Dining over the water! 2 DOCKLANDS NEWS ISSUE 89 Place of Suite 108, 198 Harbour Esplanade PO Box 23008 Docklands 8012 worship Tel: 8689 7979 Fax: 9602 2929 www.docklandsnews.com.au Advertising Tel: 8689 7979 Fax: 9602 2929 prediction [email protected] Reader contributions are welcome. A pentecostal megachurch is Please send articles and images to expected to develop a place of [email protected] worship in Docklands Th e deadline for the September edition is August 29. Docklands News understands that Places Victoria will soon announce CityLife Church Follow us on Twitter as the successful bidder @Docklands_News In August last year Places Victoria called for expressions of interest from parties Like us on Facebook interested in developing a place of worship Docklands News at the corner of Footscray Rd and Little Docklands Drive. Conder OC chairman Warren Mills was frustrated by last month’s lane closure. It’s understood that three parties were To download our iPad app, shortlisted for the project – the Faith simply scan the QR code below: Communities Council of Victoria (FCCV), Lane closure Planetshakers and CityLife Church. Th e FCCV withdrew its bid in mid-December last year, while Planetshakers is also understood to be out of the mix, leaving just causes traffi c chaos CityLife Church in the running. CityLife Church is a pentecostal, non- Harbour Esplanade was thrown into chaos by the closure of a denominational church based in traffi c lane last month. Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. It’s a multi-site congregation, with services Th e lane in question is a left turning lane into Conder Owners Corporation chairman Warren in Knox, Casey and Manningham and is considered a megachuch, with an average Docklands Drive from Harbour Esplanade Mills said during the fi rst weekend of lane of 2000 or more people attending weekend at the intersection of Harbour Esplanade, closure it took him more than 30 minutes to services. Docklands Drive, Dudley St and Footscray Rd. travel down Harbour Esplanade to get home. Th e church, formerly known as Waverley Brookfi eld Multiplex closed the lane on He said this experience was made all the Christian Fellowship, was founded in 1967 Friday, July 5 due to construction of MAB’s worse by the fact there was no one on the by pastor Richard Holland. development, Th e Quays. building site for most of the weekend. It is now led by Pastor Mark Conner. Th e City of Melbourne granted approval for A City of Melbourne spokesperson said the lane closure and said the closure was Brookfi eld Multiplex had been granted It has a strong focus on community groups required for kerb and channel works. approval for a partial road closure and work and events, tying in with Places Victoria’s request for bids that would demonstrate a On the weekend of July 5 to July 8 the lane from July 5 until July 26. community benefi t. closure caused havoc due to Dudley St also “Council offi cers further reviewed the being blocked off for regional rail link work. arrangements as implemented and, on Th e church is also associated with Waverley Christian College, which is located on the As a result, cars exited the city by travelling Monday 8 July amended the scope of the church’s property. down LaTrobe St and right onto Harbour approval to require the road to be fully open Esplanade, causing major gridlock at the to traffi c in time for the evening peak,” the Docklands News did not contact CityLife intersection. spokesperson said. Church for comment as it is bound by a confi dentiality agreement as part of the bid Residents of the Conder, which is located Th e spokesperson said Brookfi eld Multiplex process. next to Th e Quays, have been particularly was reviewing its traffi c management plan frustrated as the only way to enter their car to facilitate further infrastructure works It is not yet known when Places Victoria will park is via Harbour Esplanade. without the need of a lane closure. announce the successful bidder. The new ANZ Docklands branch is open for business. Better ways to bank Better ways to talk Better branch experience Visit us at 833 Collins Street and discover more today. anz.com Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) ABN 11 005 357 522. Australian Credit Licence Number 234527. ANZ’s colour blue is a trade mark of ANZ. Item No. 88643 06.2013 W350614 Please support our advertisers because without them we would have no Docklands News ISSUE 89 DOCKLANDS NEWS 3 Comment Shane Scanlan Whose Docklands? Docklands received some great news last month with the Premier dropping by to tell us about Western Park and some future projects at NewQuay West (reported right). But the fourth and fi nal one of these projects has set off alarm bells – it’s that persistent, An artist’s impression of the Western Park development. aggravating idea of strangling Victoria Harbour with a pedestrian bridge. If there was ever evidence that governments “consult” but don’t listen, this is it. Western Park to start next year Docklands has been “consulted” to within an inch of its life. Between 2007 and 2012 Th e State Government has unveiled a four-stage plan to deliver community facilities at the western community infrastructure was virtually put on hold while the City of Melbourne end of NewQuay and Places Victoria “consulted” as a sign of activity while they played political games Th e fi rst stage of the four part “My that put the “community focus” back into between NewQuay and Victoria Harbour, with each other over who was in charge. Docklands” plan is an $18 million park and Docklands. which will form part of a 3.7 km running and community oval, with construction expected walking track around Docklands, touted as “As Melbourne embraces its waterfront it Th ey were wasted years, but one of the to start in early to mid-2014. Docklands own “tan track”. constants of the era was that every time is essential that public space and public that damn bridge appeared in plans, Stage one will see the delivery of a large attractions exist to give all Victorians the But the idea of shutting off the mouth of Docklanders told them to remove it. grassed area close to the Bolte Bridge.