Frankston
GET YOUR
FREE TV GUIDE
4pm 8.30pm
INSIDE!
An independent voice for the community
Your weekly community newspaper covering Frankston, Frankston South, Karingal, Langwarrin and Seaford
FREE
Supported by
Tuesday 2 December 2025
For all advertising and editorial needs, call 03 5974 9000 or email: team@baysidenews.com.au www.baysidenews.com.au NARANGA School staff and students dancing. Picture: Supplied
NARANGA senior student Jessica McGrath. Picture: Supplied
Big school celebration NARANGA School in Frankston celebrated its 50th anniversary last week. Teachers, students, friends, and family visited the school last Wednesday, 26 November, to celebrate the half-century milestone. See story page 8.
Council promises ‘fast-tracked’ developments Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au MAJOR developments in Frankston will be “fast-tracked” within 16 weeks under a new council plan. From 31 January next year, Frankston Council is expected to implement guaranteed 16-week planning assessments for qualifying major developments. In a statement council says it will offer developers “enhanced pre-application guidance”
and “dedicated post-permit concierge support” to expedite the approval process. Frankston mayor Kris Bolam said that the new planning initiative would encourage developers to build housing in Frankston. “The Priority Fasttrack Program sends a clear message: Frankston City is open for business. We’re giving investors confidence and bringing new development to market faster — one of only a handful of councils statewide offering this level of certainty,” he said.
“Frankston is a recognised metropolitan activity centre, with nearly 1000 new city-centre apartments in the pipeline, significant buyer interest, and major public and private investments transforming our city. We’re proud to be putting in place the settings that support our city’s growth while helping residents take that crucial first step towards home ownership.” The population of the Frankston municipality is projected to grow beyond 150,000 residents by 2051
- council is hoping to support building 33,000 new homes before then. In April council’s FMAC Structure Plan was approved by the state government, implementing height limits of up to 16 storeys in Frankston’s city centre. Urban DC - the developer responsible for the Horizon development at 1 Plowman Place and the under-construction 14 storey building at 446450 Nepean Highway, has flagged its approval of the new council policy. Its director Danny Ciarma said “certain-
ty and speed in planning are critical. Frankston City Council’s new Priority Development Program will give developers confidence to invest, plan and deliver. Frankston City is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting growth destinations in Victoria.” The expedited approval process was announced last week alongside a council-funded subsidy program set to be made available to first-home buyers. Continued page 2