THE planning minister is close to making a decision on the future of Alex Fraser Group’s Clarinda recycling plant, The News understands. The recycler’s permit to operate at the site expires in 2023, but it is applying to stay on until 2038. Kingston Council voted to refuse an extension to the permit last year, but the final decision will ultimately be made by the planning minister. It is understood that an advisory committee appointed to assess the application will make a recommendation this week. The mayor Georgina Oxley has called for the company’s bid for a longer stay to be…
Author: Brodie Cowburn
FRANKSTON Council will consider extending many of its COVID-19 relief initiatives. At their August meeting councillors agreed to order a report which will assess “the feasibility of extending support and options to ratepayers who are experiencing financial hardship”. That report is due back in September. In principle, councillors supported not raising penalty interest on overdue rates payments and suspending legal costs relating to debt recovery action until 30 June 2021. They had previously resolved to put those measures on hold until the end of September this year. Council also agreed to prepare a second report, due back in February 2021,…
THE Level Crossing Removal Project will hand over $3.5 million to council if it agrees to take over the maintenance of multiple assets created through recent rail line works. Frankston Council officers have been directed by councillors to finalise negotiations with the LXRP over what assets will be handed over. They are expected to include shared use paths, drainage infrastructure, car parking, and public lighting. If a memorandum of understanding is signed and council takes on maintenance of the assets, the LXRP will contribute $3.5 million towards council projects. Among the projects council has nominated to be funded with…
KINGSTON Council has approved changes to their long-discussed housing strategy and neighbourhood character study. The strategy contains new guidelines on dwelling heights and density. Among the changes from the draft document released by council last year is the classification of more properties into the “neighbourhood residential zone”. This would limit construction to two storeys, a maximum of nine meters in height. A total of 51.3 per cent of land in Kingston available for residential development had been classified as in the NRZ in the 2019 draft. That has now been expanded to at least 80 per cent. Areas in Mentone…
THREE residents at Bupa’s Edithvale aged care home have died after testing positive for COVID-19. The News understands that at least 29 residents at the nursing home have tested positive for coronavirus in the last month. It is understood 17 staff members at the nursing home have also tested positive. The first cases at the facility, which were a contractor and an employee, were reported on 19 July. Bupa Aged Care managing director Suzanne Dvorak penned a letter to relatives of the residents last week. “It has been a difficult few weeks for those that call Bupa Edithvale home,” she…