Amendment C87 – What it really means

The latest edition of the Leader (31/1/2012) includes a notification of a Planning Scheme Amendment C87 – Neighbourhood Character.  Amendment C87 changes the Planning Scheme protection of neighbourhood character by replacing the previous Significant Character Area (SCA) designation with the new designations of Neighbourhood Character Overlay (NCO) and Design and Development Overlay (DDO).

In preparing the C87 Amendment, Council commissioned Planisphere to undertake a study of the municipality to

• Review/assess the level of significance of  the 15 Significant Character Areas that are currently nominated in the Glen Eira Planning Scheme.
• Identify other areas within the municipality that could also warrant designation as Significant Character Areas.

The Planisphere Final Report, March 2011,  recommends changes to the existing SCA’s

• some areas are increased (eg. Oakdene Crescent Area expanded to include part of Blackwood Street) while others are decreased (e.g. Queens Avenue/Derby Crescent to be split into two with connecting streets removed from SCA).
• the removal of 4 SCA’s which are to be reclassified as Housing Diversity Areas (i.e. high density housing areas) – bypassing the Minimal Change Area classification
  • Urandaline Grove, Caulfield
  • Normanby Road/Park Crescent, North Caulfield.  Area includes Kambrook Road between Balaclava and Normanby Roads.
  • Hawthorn Road Tramway Estate, South Caulfield
  • Ulpurina Road, Ormond
• the inclusion of 3 new areas.
  • Murray Street, Elsternwick
  • Prentice Street, Elsternwick
  • Kambea Grove, Caulfield North

A summary of the Planisphere Report (pages 25-26) is presented below.  Appendix B, which includes maps, area character descriptions and lists characteristic elements for each area, is a separate document to the Report and should also be reviewed.  Appendix B is available via the same link as the Planisphere Final Report.

GERA will make subsequent postings commenting on the Planisphere Report.  However, given the significance of the proposed changes underpinning Amendment C87, this post is to advise residents of the changes so that residents can make whatever representations they consider appropriate to Councillors and Council.

Note:  GERA has highlighted, in red, the Report recommendations

Existing Significant Character Areas

1. The Highway, Bentleigh

High degree of neighbourhood character significance, possible heritage significance. Additional controls warranted.

2.  Chestnut Street, Carnegie

High degree of neighbourhood character significance. Additional controls warranted. Remove properties at the northern end of the street from the area.

3.  McPherson Avenue Area, Carnegie

High degree of neighbourhood character significance. Additional controls warranted. Remove properties in Craigavad Street, and several properties in Munster Avenue and Grange Road from the area.

4.  Urandaline Grove, Caulfield

Area does not display greater degree of neighbourhood character significance to surrounding residential areas. No additional controls warranted.

5.  Queens Avenue and Derby Crescent, Caulfield East

High degree of neighbourhood character significance, possible heritage significance. Additional controls warranted. Separate Queens Avenue and Derby Crescent into two areas and remove connecting streets.

6.  Normanby Road/Park Crescent, Caulfield North

Area does not display greater degree of neighbourhood character significance to surrounding residential areas. No additional controls warranted

7.  Clarinda Street, Caulfield South

High degree of neighbourhood character significance. Additional controls warranted.

8.  Hawthorn Road Tramway Estate, Caulfield South

Area does not display greater degree of neighbourhood character significance to surrounding residential areas. No additional controls warranted. Subdivision layout may have heritage significance.

9.  St James Parade / Downshire Road, Elsternwick

High degree of neighbourhood character significance, possible heritage significance. Additional controls warranted. Separate into two areas of significant neighbourhood character. Extend Downshire Road area north to Stanley Street and Rowan Street. Extend St James Parade area to include interwar estate to the east (Nagle Ave, Clonard Ave, Duffy Ave, Elster Ave and Gogh St.)

10. Exhibition and Field Streets, McKinnon

High degree of neighbourhood character significance. Additional controls warranted. Separate into two significant areas of neighbourhood character.

11. Boyd Park Area, Murrumbeena

High degree of neighbourhood character significance. Additional controls warranted. Extend area to the south to include Neerim Road (between Hobart Road and Poath Road) and Riley Reserve

12. Lindsay Avenue, Murrumbeena

High degree of neighbourhood character significance.  Additional controls warranted.

13. Oakdene Crescent, Murrumbeena

High degree of neighbourhood character significance, possible heritage significance. Additional controls warranted.  Extend boundary to Blackwood Street.

14. Lydson Street, Murrumbeena

High degree of neighbourhood character significance. Additional controls warranted.

15. Ulupna Road, Ormond

Area does not display greater degree of neighbourhood character significance to surrounding residential areas. No additional controls warranted

Potential Areas of Significant Neighbourhood Character

16. Murray Street, Elsternwick

High degree of neighbourhood character significance, potential heritage significance. Additional controls warranted.

17. Prentice Street, Elsternwick

High degree of neighbourhood character significance, potential heritage significance. Additional controls warranted.

18. Kambea Grove, Caulfield North

High degree of neighbourhood character significance, potential C20th architectural heritage significance. Additional controls warranted.