EXPANDED planning powers for the state government authority overseeing the Suburban Rail Loop are necessary to “have some consistency” across train station precincts, an SRL project manager says. SRL precincts are the 1600 metre areas surrounding train stations along the rail loop. There will be one around Cheltenham Station on the Frankston line. Legislation passed earlier this month will give the Suburban Rail Loop Authority more power to make planning decisions within those precincts. Kingston councillors have written to the planning minister to express concern that planning power is being taken out of their hands. At a recent council meeting,…
Author: Brodie Cowburn
A NEW end date has been set for the current closure of the Frankston line. Buses are currently replacing trains between Mordialloc and Frankston as level crossing removal works take place at Edithvale, Chelsea, and Bonbeach. After a two week construction industry shutdown, level crossing removal works have resumed. The schedule for the project has been revised, with trains now expected to start running again on 22 November. That date will also mark the opening of the three reconstructed stations. A statement from the LXRP read “since construction resumed on Level Crossing Removal Project sites on Tuesday 5 October following…
COUNCIL will commit more than $2 million to help Peninsula Leisure recover from the impact of COVID-19. At its October meeting, council agreed to make $2.25 million available to fund Peninsula Leisure during its 2021/2022 mid-year budget review. $530,000 of that money will be paid upfront. Funding will be drawn from the remaining $1.72 million on a monthly basis after “proper assessment and acquittal” is undertaken. The decision to provide Peninsula Leisure with a cash injection was made behind closed doors, with the result of the vote publicly released. Peninsula Leisure runs the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre. The organisation is…
VICTORIA has exited its sixth lockdown, with more restrictions expected to be eased soon. Visitors are allowed into homes, indoor dining has returned, and the curfew and travel limit have both been abolished. People can now leave home for any reason. Once Victoria reaches its target of 80 per cent of residents fully vaccinated, more rules are expected to change. The revised restrictions will allow for people to travel freely between rural and metropolitan Melbourne. Retail, gyms, pools, and entertainment venues like cinemas will also reopen. Students at schools and universities will all return to campus. Masks will no longer…
AN Ombudsman investigation has found that Kingston Council’s decisions regarding the Endeavour Cove site were “poor” and lacked transparency, but did not substantiate allegations of corruption. The planning decisions made by Kingston Council in relation to the Patterson Lakes precinct have been heavily scrutinised. Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass had been investigating allegations of collusion between property developers and Kingston Council officials, and released her final report into the matter last week. The report read that “it was difficult to form a view on whether decisions were improper, non-compliant or simply deficient.” The Endeavour Cove issue goes back to 1988, when…