Plans 'just too big'

From today's front page Moorabbin/Glen Eira Leader. Please note this follows on from my last post re the Station St. 3 storey 'sell out' (pun intended!)

"McKinnon residents are furious at Glen Eira City Council's decision to approve a three storey devellpment in their street. Nine objections were lodged against the proposed units at 3 Station Ave, which include 28 independent living units for people aged over 55. McKinnon resident Robert Bell said neighbours were angry the council last week approved the proposal despite Mayor Margaret Esakoff (sic) and Cr. Steven Tang opposing it.
'There are a number os issues we have with these building but scale is the main one", Mr Bell said. 'It's just too big for the area; the visual bulk, density and mass of the devellpment is not sympathetic to the streetscape'.
Mr Bell, who lives opposite the site, believed overshadowing would be a problem during winter. 'We will enver see another sunset', he dais. 'The building will be right opposite my bedroom window."
Parking issues were also a problem with the proposal, he said, with only nine spaces allocated to the site. Fellow resident Dominim Calabrese said he was also angry at the decision. 'The council have not listened to our concerns and for that we have lost all faith in them' Mr Calabrese said.
As part of the project, six single-storey units a 5 Station Ave wil also be built for dependent residents with multiple sclerosis. Last September the council sold the block to the Port Phillip Housing Association, Department of Human services and the Multiple Sclerosis Society for $3.1 million. Cr. Esakoff said although she supported providing independent living to low-income earners, she did not agree with the size, lack of parking and the increased traffic congestion the project would cause. Cr. Tang believed the height of the building would set a precedent for future devllpments. However, Cr Michael Lipshutz said he was confident all conerns over the proposal could be satisfied.


COMMENT: no surprises here of course! How could this mob knock back 3.1 million if they opposed the development? This was fait accompli. What should have happened is that the original sale never went through. So is this merely an example of 'crocodile tears' from Esakoff and Tang? The pretense of really caring about the local residents. And then we have Liphutz's supreme and arrogant 'confidence' that people would be satisfied. I realise that Lipshutz believes that he is god's gift to Glen Eira, but is he really so powerful as to ensure the sunlight remains for Mr. Bell - that he directs the heavens as well as his weak-kneed colleagues? Once more - shame on the whole lot of you!!!