Inner urban conservation and development - An independent panel report on a proposal for Smith Street, Collingwood, under Melbourne 2030. Edited by Miles Lewis, August 2004. Info + Order your copy
Local Traders Join Fight Against Banco Development
"IT’S THE VIBE!"
Smith St and Gertrude St traders have joined residents in the campaign to stop a ‘monster development’ on Smith St.
In keeping with the colourful character of the area a diverse group of local traders, ranging from local hairdressers and food wholesalers to environmentalists, organic shops, and art suppliers are holding petitions against the development.
Member of the Collingwood Action Group, Laurence Billiet, was quoted as saying, “I spent a few days talking to traders about the issues and I only met two people who were actually in favour of the development. Even shops that were situated quite far from the development, and may have thought they would benefit from it, were against it because they were concerned that it would destroy the character of the street.”
“People were worried about increased traffic, parking, noise and heritage issues, but, to quote from The Castle, their main worry was about ‘the vibe’! The ‘vibe’ of the development is all wrong. People want better, more intelligent development for Smith St.”
The planned development will destroy a diverse range of local shops and replace them with a 3-storey shopping mall. While the buildings themselves are not heritage listed they are of a scale sympathetic to the area, plus they provide a wide range of goods and services to the area.
Over the last few years the adjoining Gertrude St has emerged from being a virtual no-go zone to one of the most sought-after addresses of the area. This is the direct result of having good quality, small sized businesses that have developed and thrived in response to community demand. The trend has snowballed and the influence is now seen among a number of businesses recently opened on Smith St.
The planned Banco shopping mall will curtail the naturally occurring development of niche businesses in the area, while the introduction of another supermarket chain to the street will harm small and quality traders such as local food, stationery and liquor suppliers already struggling to compete with the Safeway supermarket.
FOR MEDIA COMMENT:
Collingwood Action Group volunteer, Laurence Billiet, tel 0412 975 191
Collingwood Action Group spokesperson, Dominik Kucera, tel: 0409 145 638
Yarra Councillor Deborah Di Natale
CONCERNED RESIDENTS CAN:
- Object by emailing: Christina McRae: mcraec@yarracity.vic.gov.au
- Sign a petition at one of the following:
- Organic Gertrude, 238 Gertrude St, 9417 7755; St Lukes arts supplies 225 Gertrude St, 9486 9992; Vibe café 123 Smith St, 8415 1263; Friends of the Earth, 312 Smith Street.
- Get involved by emailing: collingwoodactiongroup@yahoo.com.au
BACKGROUND
The planned Banco development for Smith St follows on the heels of a string of controversial developments in the City of Yarra area that includes the ‘Cheese Grater’ development in Fitzroy and the proposed Becton development for Cardigan St, Carlton, the Smith St development by Jan & Manton architects could become a benchmark case for unfettered development in the metropolitan area. Smith Street has recently been the subject of a council funded ‘Green Street’ project that aims to grow the community and promote environmental awareness among businesses.
Yarra Councillor Deborah Di Natale, has spoken publicly about her concerns.
The proposed 11-storey development comprises:
3 level shopping mall (including 24/7 supermarket and commercial carpark)
250 apartments up to 8-storeys high above the mall (ie: up to 11-storeys high).
400 carparks over 3 levels
The complex will dwarf the historic Foy & Gibson complex the tallest edifices in the area.
Negative impact of the proposed development to the precinct is summarised as follows:
- offers no positive community impact to the Smith St precinct
- is not of a sympathetic scale or design for a heritage listed area
- will contribute significantly to the areas’ already high level of noise, traffic congestion and pollution
- will block natural light and privacy of numerous adjoining residential buildings
- will negatively impact on the areas’ public infrastructure, including public transport
- will transform Little Oxford St, one of the most highly populated but quietest streets in the area into a traffic corridor servicing both the development’s commercial and resident carparks, plus 24/7 waste management and delivery trucks for the supermarket.
The Yarra Council area is already the most highly populated area in Australia after Kings Cross.
CONTACTS:
For further comments, please contact Dominik Kucera, tel: 0409 145 638
Concerned residents can contact: collingwoodactiongroup@yahoo.com.au
Posted by Editor