Seaford residents were shocked by a December development application for a beach front location on Nepean Highway. The development proposes a 4 story 52 apartment development with basement car parking for fifty eight cars. The site proposed is the high profile beach front Seaford Beach Cabin Park which is on the corner of McCullough Avenue .
The development could not proceed without the exchange of 860m2 of crown land facing Kananook Creek for 675m2 of freehold land facing Nepean Highway. Frankston Council has wanted the site for a beach side car park since 2003. If the swap proceeds about one third of the building’s footprint or approximately 16 flats will occupy what was crown land. The exchange has the preliminary approval of previous Minister and local upper house MP Gavin Jennings and the Frankston City Council and the legislative process to transfer the land has commenced.
58 car parks are provided in the proposed building’s basement. Plans submitted by developer “Mr Frankston” Rob Emond advise that DSE has approved overflow parking on the residual public land.
The cabin park complex and ancillary buildings on crown and private land currently occupies approximately 5600m2. About 2600m2 of this is crown land inclusive of the Creek bank. The cabin park offers 71 units comprising 35 prefabricated huts. Rents are quoted at starting at $205 a week. Frankston Council manages the crown land for the state government.
Seaford Beach Cabin Park changed hands in 2008. A previous owner of the van park extensively filled the leasehold area. It is believed that the foot print of some cabins extends beyond the lease boundary. A 2008 report to Frankston Councilors advises that “Council will need to take action in respect of the encroachments”. No action was taken regarding the alleged illegal filling or encroachment by either the Minister or Frankston Council when the lease expired in 2006.
In 2004 the Victorian Civil and administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT) approved 5 two story town houses on two of the freehold titles whose total area is about 1500m2. The lessee advised VCAT of his intention to continue operating the cabin park on the crown land and proceeded to negotiate a land swap.
In November 2008 Frankston Councilors voted to support the deal. In December 2009 Council extended the lease from July that year to the 30th of June 2013 at which point the cabin park will cease operation.
The land is one of a number of small reserves set behind housing on the west (bay side) bank of the Creek. It was reserved in 1881. It’s believed that these parcels of land were set aside for campers. Older residents say these areas were known as "anglers rests". The Land (Revocation of Reservations and Other Matters) Bill 2009 excised the 850m2 allotment from the Kananook Creek Reserve and revoked its historic status. It’s now classified as unreserved crown land. The deal will produce an irregular "axe" shaped block, the "handle" of which is approximately 4m wide at the northern end and 9.5 at the south. Locals believe that this 320m2 strip will be isolated behind the building whose highest point is about 15 metres above the Creek bank. Further legislation will be required to facilitate the transfer.
The Bill was debated in the Legislative Assembly in September 2009 . MP Batchelor told the House that “The Crown land site to be exchanged is currently used by the caravan park as part of its operations. Removing the permanent reservation on this site will allow the land to be formally transferred to the caravan park. This will more accurately reflect the current use of the land and enable the caravan park owners to continue their operations without leasing land.” There was no mention of its use as a development site yet the Frankston Council report of 2008 clearly flags the opportunity when it advised Councillors “From the perspective of the caravan park owner, the swap would result in a more regular shaped block of land for development.”
The Bill was passed by the Legislative Council on 27/11/09. In debate, Greens MP Sue Pennicuik observed that “I initially had some concerns about the Kananook Creek issue, but on consultation with the Friends of Kananook Creek, I was reassured that they were quite relaxed about the proposal in the bill regarding the land at Kananook Creek in Seaford.” Other locals disagree and say that the thin strip of land behind the development is only 6 metres wide at the northern end and will be effectively alienated by the proposed building and that the site in its entirety should be restored and returned to the public.
A DSE officer contacted in late December could not confirm that that public consultation regarding the land’s future had occurred or that the development potential of the site had been factored into the valuation of the exchange. He could however confirm that public use and benefit are not factored into such valuations. The matter was not canvassed by the Kananook Creek Master Plan whose preparation involved key stakeholders DSE, Frankston Council and Melbourne Water.
Residents say that 13 long term “bombsites” on Nepean Highway prove the failure of the Frankston’s planning scheme. They say Council’s “St.Kilda” vision for Nepean Highway has degraded the strip by encouraging land banking.
Lodgement of submissions closed on the 17th of December. A number of groups and individuals have lodged objections. The matter is to be considered by Frankston Council early in the New Year.
Links
A HOT-SHOT millionaire has called on Frankston Council to create a city in which he can spend his riches
FCC Minutes
- Land swap approval & other matters Nov 2008
- Lease approval Nov 2009
- DSE land swap site plan
The development could not proceed without the exchange of 860m2 of crown land facing Kananook Creek for 675m2 of freehold land facing Nepean Highway. Frankston Council has wanted the site for a beach side car park since 2003. If the swap proceeds about one third of the building’s footprint or approximately 16 flats will occupy what was crown land. The exchange has the preliminary approval of previous Minister and local upper house MP Gavin Jennings and the Frankston City Council and the legislative process to transfer the land has commenced.
58 car parks are provided in the proposed building’s basement. Plans submitted by developer “Mr Frankston” Rob Emond advise that DSE has approved overflow parking on the residual public land.
The cabin park complex and ancillary buildings on crown and private land currently occupies approximately 5600m2. About 2600m2 of this is crown land inclusive of the Creek bank. The cabin park offers 71 units comprising 35 prefabricated huts. Rents are quoted at starting at $205 a week. Frankston Council manages the crown land for the state government.
Seaford Beach Cabin Park changed hands in 2008. A previous owner of the van park extensively filled the leasehold area. It is believed that the foot print of some cabins extends beyond the lease boundary. A 2008 report to Frankston Councilors advises that “Council will need to take action in respect of the encroachments”. No action was taken regarding the alleged illegal filling or encroachment by either the Minister or Frankston Council when the lease expired in 2006.
In 2004 the Victorian Civil and administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT) approved 5 two story town houses on two of the freehold titles whose total area is about 1500m2. The lessee advised VCAT of his intention to continue operating the cabin park on the crown land and proceeded to negotiate a land swap.
In November 2008 Frankston Councilors voted to support the deal. In December 2009 Council extended the lease from July that year to the 30th of June 2013 at which point the cabin park will cease operation.
The land is one of a number of small reserves set behind housing on the west (bay side) bank of the Creek. It was reserved in 1881. It’s believed that these parcels of land were set aside for campers. Older residents say these areas were known as "anglers rests". The Land (Revocation of Reservations and Other Matters) Bill 2009 excised the 850m2 allotment from the Kananook Creek Reserve and revoked its historic status. It’s now classified as unreserved crown land. The deal will produce an irregular "axe" shaped block, the "handle" of which is approximately 4m wide at the northern end and 9.5 at the south. Locals believe that this 320m2 strip will be isolated behind the building whose highest point is about 15 metres above the Creek bank. Further legislation will be required to facilitate the transfer.
The Bill was debated in the Legislative Assembly in September 2009 . MP Batchelor told the House that “The Crown land site to be exchanged is currently used by the caravan park as part of its operations. Removing the permanent reservation on this site will allow the land to be formally transferred to the caravan park. This will more accurately reflect the current use of the land and enable the caravan park owners to continue their operations without leasing land.” There was no mention of its use as a development site yet the Frankston Council report of 2008 clearly flags the opportunity when it advised Councillors “From the perspective of the caravan park owner, the swap would result in a more regular shaped block of land for development.”
The Bill was passed by the Legislative Council on 27/11/09. In debate, Greens MP Sue Pennicuik observed that “I initially had some concerns about the Kananook Creek issue, but on consultation with the Friends of Kananook Creek, I was reassured that they were quite relaxed about the proposal in the bill regarding the land at Kananook Creek in Seaford.” Other locals disagree and say that the thin strip of land behind the development is only 6 metres wide at the northern end and will be effectively alienated by the proposed building and that the site in its entirety should be restored and returned to the public.
A DSE officer contacted in late December could not confirm that that public consultation regarding the land’s future had occurred or that the development potential of the site had been factored into the valuation of the exchange. He could however confirm that public use and benefit are not factored into such valuations. The matter was not canvassed by the Kananook Creek Master Plan whose preparation involved key stakeholders DSE, Frankston Council and Melbourne Water.
Residents say that 13 long term “bombsites” on Nepean Highway prove the failure of the Frankston’s planning scheme. They say Council’s “St.Kilda” vision for Nepean Highway has degraded the strip by encouraging land banking.
Lodgement of submissions closed on the 17th of December. A number of groups and individuals have lodged objections. The matter is to be considered by Frankston Council early in the New Year.
Links
A HOT-SHOT millionaire has called on Frankston Council to create a city in which he can spend his riches
FCC Minutes
- Land swap approval & other matters Nov 2008
- Lease approval Nov 2009
- DSE land swap site plan