The Triangle Site issue dominated proceedings at the Annual General Meeting of the Acland Street Precinct Traders Association (ASPTA), on Monday 4 December 2006, with Councillor Dick Gross (Blessington Ward) invited to shed light on the proposed development.
‘We are shit-scared of being unpopular and stuffing up this site,’ Cr Gross admitted to the traders.
Even though Cr Gross said the community could be assured the site will never be a ‘mini-Chadstone by the bay’, he said there will definitely be a retail element because the developers will be spending $10-20 million refurbishing the Palais Theatre.
‘The State Government has done a ‘Pontius Pilate’ on this site by making it a council issue when it’s a State Government asset. It’s unfair to give it back to council to manage when the Palais Theatre is in such a dilapidated state,’ Cr Gross said.
When asked if there will be a supermarket and 70-80 retail stores, Cr Gross said he, ‘didn’t know’ and he ‘couldn’t recall’ the retail mix. ‘I can’t promise there won’t be any national chains,’ he admitted.
What Cr Gross could say was that the developers were briefed to plan:
It was also revealed, that the winning consortium would be able to ‘on-sell’ its long-term lease ie: the whole site or elements of the site as long as the City of Port Phillip (CoPP) and the State Government approve the ‘sale / ‘sales’. If this was to happen this would mean there would be many landlords not just the consortium that originally won the tender process.
Even though Cr Gross couldn’t divulge the contents of the proposed tenders he did say the three short-listed consortiums will be narrowed down to two after Christmas. These two consortiums would then be told of their shortcomings and would then represent. The final decision and winning bid would then be announced in February or March.
‘Once the process is complete, the community will have the right to object to any aspect of the planning approval process,’ he said, admitting he supported the abolishment of appeal rights.
Asked whether he thought community objections would change the plans for the site, Cr Gross said, ‘local councils are known for being weak-kneed on planning decisions.’
‘It could be like a Federation Square with a proper entrance and a lot of open space – I hope,’ said Cr Gross.
When asked what he meant by, ‘I hope?’ Cr Gross replied, ‘I’m hoping the bids will change through the tender process.’
ASPTA President, David Carruthers, made Cr Gross aware of a recent study carried out in Britain which predicts Britain’s independent local retailers will be EXTINCT by 2015. The cause of this extinction according to this report? Large national chains and supermarkets. (The full report is available on www.savestkilda.org.au website).
Reacting to this alarming time frame, Cr Gross could only say, ‘It just goes to show this is a world wide problem as well as a local one – how can we beat international trends?’ When suggested by a trader that CoPP take a leading position, Cr Gross said, ‘We try to take leading positions and we lose. We mount campaigns and end up in court.’
Carruthers asked Cr Gross why CoPP couldn’t have contributed to the Palais Theatre’s refurbishment rather than spending $18 million on refurbishing its offices?
‘The new town hall was always going to be an unpopular move but we need to renew our assets,’ Cr Gross replied.
Carruthers continued his line of questioning by asking Cr Gross whether CoPP would ask the member for Albert Park, John Thwaites, whether the State Government could now contribute funds to the heritage listed Palais, since being re-elected to office?
‘The State Government has made it clear they will be spending money on hospitals and schools,’ Cr Gross replied. ‘What we want is The Palais Theatre to be jumping six nights a week in winter. We want this site to really enhance the district. You can be certain though whatever goes there will be a huge magnet to the area.’
And that’s what the locals are afraid of.
Cr Gross envisages the Triangle Site would be completed in three years.