PART TWO

1. Extension of time to review reports

The meeting of 24 January has been re-scheduled to 7 February.

Three reports will be released publicly on 16 January:

1. economic and community impact analysis,
2. a progress report from the Design Review Committee, and
3. commitments made by Citta (BBC) to the council during negotiations.

Council's response to these reports will be available publicly approximately one week before the 7 February meeting.

We are still waiting for Council to commission and release its own reports about:

1. Heritage
2. Traffic and Parking
3. Sustainability
4. Arts and Culture

2. One Third the Size and a Vision for Success

We tabled a list of substantial changes to the current BBC development plan (DP) in order to bring it more in line with the outcomes and vision sought by the St Kilda Foreshore UDF, DPO1 and SUZ3 planning documents.

Our outline of a more modest outcome for BBC's proposal does not mean we envisage this to be the ideal outcome for the Triangle Site, simply a pragmatic one within the current confines and aims to bring it in line with UDF guidelines.

Hence we also tabled a vision for success, in which we seek a truly innovative proposal - socially and economically inclusive, environmentally sustainable into the future, with outstanding site sensitive design and architecture, and a long-term business model firmly grounded in culture, popular and diverse entertainment and the arts.

BBC is considering our documents and is expected to respond at the next meeting, scheduled for 15 January.

3. Council's role and obligation
 
We entered these discussions anticipating to negotiate with our Councillors. 
However, Councillors have directed us to address our position and vision with the developer.  They said that it was not up to them to negotiate with the developer.

During the discussions Councillors argued it is their legal obligation to provide for visitors and those visitors need shops. Some Councillors even believe this will assist in the battle against climate change.

Our request to have Matrix Consulting provide planning advice on the implications of its key findings on two of our key issues, massive retail and nightclub components, is on hold.  (Matrix found that the DP does not provide any detailed justification for the level of retail and commercial activity proposed and that submissions about the effects of licensed premises are legitimate)

Comment: This is a disappointing and frustrating turn of events.  We maintain it is the role of Council, as the planning authority, to bring the BBC proposal in line with the planning instruments.  It is not the role of the community to do so, despite having recommended to Council how the BBC proposal can be modified to both meet the planning guidelines and community expectations.  We also expect Council to abide by the findings of the independent report prepared by Matrix.

4. Design Review Committee

Our request that Council extend an invitation to an expert representative from unChain St Kilda to advise the Design Review Committee was rejected by the developer.  In her response, the Mayor wrote:

"I have put the idea to Citta (BBC) and they do not support adding a member at this stage."

Comment:  We have grave concerns that the developer is able to dictate the membership of the Design Review Committee. We understand that the Design Review Committee was established as a sub-committee of the St Kilda Edge Committee (SKE), to advise on design aspects of the Triangle site and other foreshore projects.
The SKE was established in August 2004 as a Section 86 Committee under the provisions of the Local Government Act to oversee the tender and contract process for the St Kilda foreshore projects, including the Triangle crown land.

For more details, see council minutes