Home Alert for Knoxfield

 

 

Hi Folks,

I think we may have a fight on our hands again. No 52 Kathryn must be preserved as a site of local significance. This is probably the only remnant bushland set amongst residential houses in Knoxfield, No 52 also has been designated as a "Site of Biological Significance" by the City of Knox and the advert has no notice of this fact, but advertises it as a site suitable for development. You can find the Knox web page devoted to this site at the above web page. No 48 Kathryn Road is also advertised for sale too.

 

The scenario we presented to VCAT when we attended to fight numbers 40 and 44 Kathryn Road is now presenting itself. That is six acre blocks with 10 to 12 apartments on each. We already have four of those blocks either built on or pending. This is the massacre of Knoxfield we feared.

 

At all costs we must save No 52 Kathryn Road from the developers. What a wonderful idea it would be if the City of Knox, the State Government  and Knox Environment Society could work out a scheme to preserve this site of remnant bushland.

 

 

 

 

Planning the main headache for Melbourne and Yarra residents - put a comment

It is not only Knoxfield residents that are concerned with planning. Read the article below for an explanation.

 

A walk down Kathryn Road makes one wonder whether we live in the inner or outer suburbs. Look at the gardens in these latest developments, an absolute disgrace to residents that have pride in their suburb. Whatever happened to those magnificent gardens that were presented and articulated in VCAT? Whatever happened to the advanced canopy trees that were to be planted? Most have simply died as they were planted in water logged clay.

 

This is just as we expected, without constant supervision from Knox City Council the developers get away with the cheapest option.

 

Here’s the article from the Melbourne Leader.

 

Melbourne Leader Article

 

Planning the main headache for Melbourne and Yarra residents

 

THE threat of skyscrapers destroying the character of their neighbourhoods causes Melbourne Leader readers to lose sleep at night.

A Leader survey has found residents in the Melbourne and Yarra municipalities are the most prone to worrying about planning and development matters.

Respondents were asked to rate their concerns across a number of issues, ranging between zero (not at all concernced) and 10 (extremely concerned).

Local readers' mean score on planning matters was 7, compared with 6.3 across the metropolitan area.

Former lord mayor Kevin Chamberlin, now chairman of the North and West Melbourne Association, said he wasn't surprised by the results.

"I think it's a very informed response. It's clear that planning was out of control under (former Planning Minister) Justin Madden and the Labor Party, and it has resulted in a lot of inappropriate developments being approved," Mr Chamberlin said.

Melbourne and Yarra residents were also more concerned than average about crowding on public transport (mean score of 7.8), climate change (7.6) and urban density (6.2).

But Melbourne and Yarra readers were less concerned about urban sprawl (5.8), access to the city (4.4), access to schools (3.5), water shortage (6.9) and petrol prices (5.5).

The results were from Leader's 2010 Cash for Comment. Readers told us what matters to them, what makes them happy and what bothers them.

Some lucky readers shared in the $10,000 cash prizes offered by Leader.

>>What needs to be done to alleviate residents' concerns about planning and development? Have your say below

http://melbourne-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/planning-is-a-local-headache/#comment-form

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McDonald's Win - Leader Newspaper publicity

All Knoxfield residents that participated in having the McDonald’s Restaurant overturned in VCAT are invited to a photoshoot by the Knox Leader newspaper on the McDonald’s site at 9.30am tomorrow (Thursday 10^th Feb)

McDonald's VCAT decision

 

Some great VCAT news for Knoxfield.

 

At last we’ve had a win. The McDonald’s review against Knox City Council’s decision not to approve the restaurant on Ferntree Gully Road, Knoxfield was won by the council and residents.

 

The main reasoning was that it was considered to be an inappropriate activity in a Residential 3 Zone and residents’ concerns with traffic management.

 

This is a wonderful result for the power of the little people and excellent representation by Knox City Council at VCAT.

 

So after eight visits to VCAT we have had a win and I must say the most important win as a McDonald’s restaurant would have had a major detrimental impact on Knoxfield.

 

What a pity some of the other VCAT visits did not have the same result!

McDonald's Restaurant

Congratulations to the eight objectors that ventured to VCAT for  the McDonald’s Restaurant proposal and presented their arguments. A good hearing was conducted by the chair enabling a well-balanced argument against the restaurant to be heard. Objections centred on disruption to the neighbors’ lifestyle, traffic problems created by the proposal, lack of parking space within the restaurant, security in the vicinity, increased traffic, litter and smells for Kathryn Road residents and the undesirable effect on the Knoxfield Shopping Centre.

 

VicRoads also presented an argument against the traffic flow proposal presented by McDonalds, forcing McDonalds to present two scenarios. Option A had traffic entering and leaving the restaurant in both Ferntree Gully and Kathryn Roads and Option B with entry only from Ferntree Gully Road and an entry and exit in Kathryn Road. Option B was VicRoads desired plan, which creates numerous problems for management of the restaurant with three entry points and only one exit point for all traffic including delivery vans. At the conclusion to the hearing, the chair announced that as VicRoads control Ferntree Gully Road option B is the only option he can consider. McDonalds do not want Option B, so they announced that it looks like we’ll all have to return to VCAT in the future.

 

With some luck or good fortune we can hope that McDonalds will see the problems their proposal creates and withdraw their plan for a restaurant at the corner of Kathryn and Ferntree Gully Roads.

 

Congratulations must go to Kerry  for his research into the parking for this and nearby McDonalds’ stores. His close questioning of expert witnesses also added much input to the residents case against. Thanks also to Peter, Rafaele, Nick and Ian for their presentations.

 

We now await the decision of the VCAT.

Tawny Frogmouth in Knoxfield

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I took this photo of a Tawny Frogmouth and her young one in a tree in Kathryn Road, Knoxfield. The Tawny Frogmouth feeds on rodents, small possums and large insects. You may hear them banging their prey on your spouts at night while they kill them.

 

With the continual building of townhouse units in Kathryn Road and depriving the wildlife of their habitat, what is to become of special visitors like these to our gardens. When was the last time you saw an Eastern Spinebill honeyeater in your garden. In the past they were frequent visitors to our gardens. Try planting some native plants like Correas and Epacris (heath) in your garden may encourage them to come back.

 

Knoxfield is rich in wildlife, it’s a shame that we are continually depriving them of a home just to over-populate our suburb.

 

VCAT has notified us that the hearing will now begin on the 14^th December 2010 and go for four days. Please keep these dates clear in your diaries if you intend appearing before the tribunal

McDonalds and VCAT

If you lodged an objection to Knox City Council against the McDonald’s Restaurant planning application you should have received notification from URBIS that they are taking the planning application to VCAT. In the letter of notification you should have received a “Statement of Grounds” form. It is important that you complete this form to again lodge your reasons for an objection. To do this follow these steps:

 

1.       Complete your personal details

2.       List briefly your objections that you submitted to Knox City Council

3.       Make two photocopies of your Statement of Grounds and forward them to: URBIS and the Knox City Council

4.       Write in the space provided the date you forwarded these copies to URBIS and Knox City Council

5.       Mail your Statement of Grounds to VCAT by Friday 28^th May 2010

 

Completion of this form then registers you to make a presentation of your objections to VCAT. The date and time of the hearing will be notified to you in due course. It is essential that as many objectors as possible attend this hearing to show the tribunal we don’t want this restaurant at this site in Knoxfield.

 

Should you require assistance in completing the Statement of Grounds you may contact me on 0425756688

 

Ian Simpson