back to Home...
 


10 November 2007

"This whole development is simply unbelievable. Council promised last year, at the Save St Kilda rally, that they would give us something appropriate to the area. Trust us, they said. Do they really think 100 chain stores is "appropriate"?? Just because the roof is cleverly disguised as an open space, doesn't mean this is not a mega shopping complex monstrosity. What planet are Karen Sait, Dick Gross, Mayor Janet Bolitho and David Spokes living on? All I can imagine is the developers must have sweet talked them good and proper. Well, I hope they are planning for life after Council, because they are all going to lose their seats over this."
Caroline Henry, St Kilda

"I've lived in Elwood for 17 years. I've followed the planning process, and have viewed the proposal plans at the St Kilda Town Hall.

I think this is a terrible development. It will detract greatly from the enjoyment of local residents of this area, as a quiet open space with broad views of the bay. One of my great pleasures is my morning tram ride on the #96 along the upper esplanade, taking in a view of the water and pier in contemplation of the meaning of it all, before engaging with the hustle of the workplace. Similarly a late night quiet stroll along the upper esplanade will soon no longer be possible. This will be a significant personal loss for me.

Further, I do not believe we need so much more retail in St Kilda. The consumer culture is sucking meaning from our lives.

As a parent and a paediatrician I am deeply saddened by the message this development will send to our children about what adults consider to be of value to society.

I sincerely hope the retail and clubs can be scaled down, and the open space increased, from the current plans."
Daryl Efron, Elwood

9 November 2007

"I live in the southern end of Richardson St, Middle Park, near West St Kilda and the triangle site is a 10 minute brisk walk away. As I said last year at the Save the Triangle rally (as an Independent candidate) just before the state election, I oppose development totally except for the restoration of the Palais. I was disgusted at the way the former tenants of these building were treated too. I disliked the ugly Palace building but understood that many musical events happened their that were important to Melbourne's music scene. I have been to many shows at the Palais of the last 25 years too like Shaken Stevens (what ever happened to him), Dame Edna, Wogs out of Work to name three. The Palace is now history after the "convenient" fire which no one has been charged with yet. As for the site I still maintain that this site is a suitable site for passive park recreation that links the foreshore with Catani Gardens one way and a redeveloped park on the Veg Out site to link it and O'Donnell Gardens with Peanut Reserve. The Veg Out site will be a development site if it is not turned into public parkland. Cr Grosses mates are just waiting for an opportunity to get their hands on to this crown land site just as they have at the Triangle site. The Councillors and the MP's responsible should be voted out at the next elections. "
Adrian Jackson, Middle Park

Veg Out IS a public space already... ~ web site editor

7 November 2007

"A guideline of Schedule 1 to the development plan overlay points to consideration of "the impact on existing sea-scape views to and from the Upper Esplanade". The development plan itself even stresses the cultural significance of these heritage buildings and their own intention that views be preserved. The applicants own plan specifically mentions and photographs the Mandalay apartments. In a complete contradiction, the intended Pearl structure will not only block Mandalay residents views but also hide this building from the beach side promenade.

These plans therefore completely disregard the guidelines. The Novotel Hotel and public building to one side and another tower to the other side would be the new view under this plan. Preserving the public view across the bay from the Upper Esplanade also features prominently in the Design Framework. This view will be seriously compromised by not only its height but also its length.

One view the developers do seem to recognise is that of the water from down Robe Street. I agree this is important but surely the Upper Esplanade and its sweeping views and intended public use is the more important issue here.

It seems to me that this plan is not well thought out. It is almost as if the plan was first designed with total disregard for the guidelines and then as an afterthought, guidelines have been selectively applied to appease perhaps the council. Given the developers themselves recognise the significance of the Mandalay apartments and then plan a building right in front, I can only surmise that it is an attempt to put this building on display for the diners and function goers it is intended for, at residents expense.

I think that view of so many iconic buildings in a row is unique to our city and suburb. Excluding the Mandalay apartments from that vista after so many before me successfully fought to spare this building from modern development is beyond comprehension. I recognise St Kilda is a suburb of much pride for both non residents and residents alike and consideration of public inclusion is most important, but it would seem the developers have given no consideration of the residents themselves who in fact have everyone's interests at heart."
Brian Mallon, St Kilda

"We are not an economy, we are a community."
Luke Troja, St Kilda

"The whole concept is ridiculous, why not simply turn the space into another public garden? We would get much more benefit from that than any overblown shopping centre."
Paul McIntyre, St Kilda

6 November 2007

"Years ago i saw my first concert at the Palais... At high school i made many new friends hanging out at the st kilda shores, and at the St Kilda Festival. The area is classic, iconic and would be UTTERLY ruined if turned into another wasted slab of commercialism. Another useless site clogging our suburbs. Save the site, and let us have our St Kilda."
Jess Buttriss, Bentleigh East

5 November 2007

"I'll let you in on a little secret, between you and me, OK? Keep in under yer shirt, but guess what? St Kilda has enough cafes, bars and various sweat-shop supplying retail stores catering to those in desperate need of some kind of material acquisition therapy program to satisfy the most discerning big spender. But, you know what? Those of us who live around here, I'm sorry to say, aren't that interested. I know! "Heretic!", I hear you scream. But as much as it might disappoint and infuriate the powers that be, many of us just don't get all steamed up about the latest fashion (read; "wore it in year 11") or drinking hole (remember local pubs? Like, a cold beer and a decent band?).

In short, it's not us. Never was. Market garden, community arts precinct, playground, open air theatre, community jam sessions - now you're talking. Collection of same-old chain stores and grog barns - bugger off.

The triangle is an opportunity to develop a plot of land that will benefit all of us, without it being a rates-spinner and gaudy mall. Be bold, be daring, be St Kilda. Now's your chance to create something that could be the envy of the world, and loved by its locals."
Danny Blay, St Kilda

"This development will deliver the same mistakes that has made Surfers Paradise a joke and a place to be avoided. Absolutely appalling!"
B, Richmond

"Don't ruin St Kilda with greedy and soul-less development. Make this a public green space- there is not enough green space in Melbourne and St Kilda deserves MORE!"
Fiona Patterson, Elwood

"Anybody who believes that a 100% increase in retail/entertainment venues adjacent to an already congested road/area is not going to completely traumatise the popular St Kilda area is dreaming!"
Harry, St Kilda

"Premier Hon John Brumby's epitaph will read: "The Premier that Destroyed St Kilda and Killed the Bay"."
Peter Johnson, Balaclava

"please... so typically melbourne that we reject any type of development in favour of keeping what is one the biggest eyesores in st kilda. To state that a Sydney developer is bringing that city's 'raucous' drinking culture in sedate little melbourne borders on the ridiculous. I've been a resident here all my life and historically, before the place got genrified by yuppies, st kilda has always been an entertainment district rich in bars. "Sydney pub culture v. Melbourne's sophisticated bars" how easily we forget what used to be good about this suburb - the pubs, the real people, the richness and excitement. perhaps to make everyone happy we can have a giant complex of cafes serving various lattes and then we can ease back and congratulate ourselves on how sophisticated we are."
Lewis Hunt, St Kilda
No-one's rejecting development on the site, Lewis, or trying to keep the current carpark - we're just rejecting this particular massive shopping mall development and asking that it be revised. ~ web site editor

"This development is the biggest money grabbing scheme to come out of Melbourne in years. This isn't about preserving the unique qualities St Kilda has above everywhere else in the city, but rather about how much money councillors and big business can all make so they can retire on a heavier golden handshake. This site should be a place that welcomes visitors to St Kilda instead of driving them away. In my opinion this site should be for a couple (by this i mean 10 max.) of stores for ice cream, skate hire, canoe hire..seaside stuff, and a place to enjoy the sites and sounds of St Kilda. Maybe even another 'Live Site' such as the Federation Square one for larger events not everyone can get to."
Rebecca, St Kilda

"5 new nightclubs in St kilda! How many new police will the state government give us to combat the additional violence,drunkeness and other allied criminal behavior that will accompany the clubs? They already have a place with multiple night clubs in one place and its called the crown casino."
Zoran Blagojevic, East St Kilda

"I told them so ! As a previous long term St Kilda resident, I had the opportunity when the whole thing began two years ago to warn then Mayor Darren Ray that if you give a developer an inch (ie. please fund the Palais, and you have this huge area to play with) they will take a mile (result - 181 shops in what was supposed to be a mainly entertainment precinct). He said that if none of the proposals were good enough / met the criteria / were over scaled, then none would win. But in the process, that possibilty diappeared along with the criteria, and it was simply the one with the best design chosen (one that cleverly conceals its size under landscaping) - so the others must have been just as large in scale, but just plain ugly. Council should have just said no, start again, but they obviously forgot to worry about the scale or suitablility as the process went along. Its the Seabaths all over again - a great idea that truns into a monster that Council cant, or in this case doesnt want to, reign in."
Rohan Storey, Fitzroy

"I really hoped that this project idea would disappear but it seems it has the backing of a greedy council. Do they really care what the people of St Kilda want? This development will be a huge eyesore and will ruin the whole look for the area. I mean look at what they have attached to the Espy, imagine if they had been given approval of the original development?"
Cyberhaggis, Black Rock

"it has been brought to the attention of the St Kilda Traders Association that the council have agreed to move the upper esplanade sunday markets to a position inside the triangle. This is a community asset and the council has absolutely no right to give the developers a free kick. It has been earmarked for the 'plaza' inside the main retail area of the triangle. This is completely disgusting. The council should not be actively engaged in redirecting traffic flows to the Triangle. The Triangle should attract them on its own merits."
concerned acland st trader, St Kilda

read even more comments