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Your weekly community newspaper covering Frankston, Frankston South, Karingal, Langwarrin and Seaford
Tuesday 20 June 2023
For all advertising and editorial needs, call 03 5974 9000 or email: team@baysidenews.com.au www.baysidenews.com.au WALLARA CEO Phil Hayes-Brown enjoys the Big Freeze charity event with Pheobe. Wallara clients and staff got involved on the day (inset). Pictures: Supplied
Big smiles at Sages Cottage STAFF at Sages Cottage Baxter dyed their hair and made the dive into frosty water last week for a special “Big Freeze” event. The event coincided with the Big Freeze fundraiser for motor neuron disease research. It was organised by disability support coaches Christine Mann and Millie Clinch. Mann said that the staff and coaches “just loved looking around and seeing all of the clients faces - it just makes you want to do it.” Clinch said “it’s for a great cause that a lot of us can relate to in one way or another, so for us it was a no brainer to support a charity like this, and get all of our staff and clients involved.” Sages Cottage Baxter is an initiative by Wallara. It is a working farm offering educational programs and employment pathways for people living with a disability.
‘Controversial’ height limits approved by council Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au A CONTROVERSIAL proposal to change Frankston’s planning guidelines has been approved. Frankston Council finalised its FMAC structure plan at a meeting last Wednesday, 14 June. The plan has been in the works for more than a year, and will now be put to the state government’s planning minister. The new FMAC structure plan outlines “preferred building heights” for future developments in the Frankston municipality. Opponents of the structure plan are concerned that the pre-
ferred heights can be exceeded at council’s discretion. The preferred height limits outlined in the structure plan reach up to 54 metres, around 16 storeys. Frankston Council received 22 submissions from the public on the structure plan. Just one supported the draft document in its original form, while 14 submissions were made opposing it. Most of the opposition focused on the proposed building heights in the precinct spanning from Kananook Creek to the Nepean Highway between Beach Street and Plowman Place - titled “precinct four”. Despite the majority of public submissions opposing the proposed height limits in precinct four, they were not
reduced in the final document. Instead, council has raised the height restrictions in separate precincts in response to other submissions. The report on the FMAC structure plan presented to Frankston councillors acknowledged that the proposed height limits were “controversial” and “a significant departure from the built form that currently exists.” It read that the proposed height limits in precinct four were developed “in accordance” with state government guidelines. The plan was not unanimously supported by councillors at last week’s lengthy meeting. Councillors Liam Hughes, Steven Hughes, and Sue Baker voted against its approval, and
Claire Harvey abstained from the vote. Baker said she opposed council’s final revision of the structure plan because of the proposed height limits in precinct four. “We do need a structure plan. I’m very supportive of development, and in fact the majority of the structure plan except precinct four I am very supportive of,” she said. “My concerns with precinct four emanate from a strong belief in good robust community consultation, and that for me is a missing piece with this. “For me this plan does fall short.” Steven Hughes also said he was concerned about the consultation process. “The community is only asking for a small compromise here. You’re not ask-
ing for a major change, you’re being very considered in your demands. I think what you’re asking for is reasonable,” he told the public gallery last week. “If you want to foster links between the city and the bay you don’t build what could be known as a wall between the city and the bay.” Frankston mayor Nathan Conroy has been a vocal supporter of the structure plan throughout the process. He said the final version will provide “critical clear direction on land uses, building design, housing and accommodation, and provides more employment opportunities through new development and redevelopment.” Continued page 3
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