AN abandoned Frankston building that has become a hotspot for squatters will be knocked down to make way for offices, shops and apartments under a plan endorsed by Frankston City Council. Councillors approved an amendment to an existing planning permit for 35 Playne St, which proposed to increase the height of the building from nine to 15 storeys. The site, which is located near the corner of Young St, would also see the creation of 86 apartments as well as a reduction in floor area of retail and office space and the number of car park spaces increased from 67 to 133.
Mayor Nathan Conroy threw his support behind the proposal by Frankston Commons Pty Ltd, acknowledging the importance of the site to creating a better future for Frankston. “You speak to Hotel Lona, speak to Betty’s Burgers, the Hop Shop and all the businesses around – they need foot traffic … and 200-something people living in our city centre is going to make that happen,” he said at the council’s September 16 meeting.
“In my opinion, it’s going to be affordable for what it is in the city centre; it’s next to public transport, it’s next to the shops, it’s next to everything. We just approved the (Frankston Metropolitan Activity Centre) structure plan – this fits within the structure plan.”
Cr Brad Hill said squatters had been cleared out of the building a few weeks ago but had returned after forcing the front doors off, and he was “not prepared to wait another few years for hopefully something to happen”.
A current planning permit for the site was issued in June 2021 to construct a nine-storey building. Council had previously rejected a planning application in 2018 due to a range of design problems for a 14-storey building to house a gym, 11 student rooms and 77 apartments, as well as offices and shops.
The Woods Bagot architect-designed plan for the latest proposal stated the project would “blend beach view apartments with commercial spaces to offer a range of amenities to the Frankston precinct”. This was supported by council officers in their report before councillors, stating the “site’s locational attributes make it an ideal site for redevelopment subject to the building design, overall height and site context response implementing the strategic objectives of relevant local planning policies”. “Accordingly, the application to amend the planning permit will create less detriment compared to the existing approval.”
However, dissenting councillor Cr Glenn Aitken said only one artist impression image of the building “was anywhere near what I would call reasonably acceptable”. “Here we are in Frankston today, at this stage in the 21st century, still encouraging or allowing or visiting upon this city, architecture that will not live beyond the time that it is made,” he said. “This does the city of Frankston a great disservice. We can do better. Developers can do better. I find I’m ashamed of some of the things that are being built in Frankston will endure for decades and longer into the future.”
Cr Sue Baker spoke of the demand for housing and supported the municipality’s growth. “We want a thriving, growing municipality, and I think this building will be great because of the volume of apartments it offers; it offers a range of apartments too and where it’s located I think is perfect,” she said.
First published in the Frankston Times – 1 October 2024