Bulldogs Hilton Likely to be Sunk

[Prince Imperial]

Maribyrnong Council will be meeting tonight to examine the Edgewater application however the Council's own planning officers have recommended that the application be rejected. There are a number of bases to this including; the location of the gaming machines next to a shopping centre, the number of gaming machines in the immediate Maribyrnong area which is a poor community and concerns about the number of car parking spaces and traffic in adjoining streets. You can look at the lengthy discussion under the heading "31 Edgewater Blvd..." in the below link:

http://www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/Files/Ordinary_Agenda_200508.pdf

I can't see the Council going against these recommendations given there are over 300 objections to the proposal. Given the importance of poker machine revenue this is bad news for the club and I'm not sure there is any plan B to relocate the existing machines at the Whitten Oval to any other venue.

[LostDoggy]

The club has been working on this for at least two years. It's very disappointing that there is such robust objection to it from Council Officers.

[Prince Imperial]

It is disappointing. I took a look at the site a few weeks back and it seems a fair distance from any of the currently located homes with one side a supermarket and another side earmarked for office type development. It is difficult to see that any new gaming venue would be allowed to open up in the Maribyrnong council area given the restrictions the officers have referred to.

I can understand the concern re car parking and I think this aspect of the proposal in having far less spaces than is normally required was just asking for trouble.

[Sockeye Salmon]

It is disappointing. I took a look at the site a few weeks back and it seems a fair distance from any of the currently located homes with one side a supermarket and another side earmarked for office type development. It is difficult to see that any new gaming venue would be allowed to open up in the Maribyrnong council area given the restrictions the officers have referred to.

I can understand the concern re car parking and I think this aspect of the proposal in having far less spaces than is normally required was just asking for trouble.

Is 296 car spaces not many?

[Prince Imperial]

Is 296 car spaces not many?

It is when the planning scheme requires 521 spots for the uses that the development would involve and there are insufficient spaces for peak use based upon a consultant's report provided by Tattersalls itself as part of the application.

[hujsh]

No...bad news...crap.:mad::(

[Prince Imperial]

For those interested, a copy of Tattersall's and our proposal is available on the Edgewater Community Association website:

http://www.edgewater.mycommunityspace.com.au/directory/site.asp?site=617

[LostDoggy]

Sounded too good to be true.

[LostDoggy]

This is very disapointing to hear. It would have been good for us to have something like that.

[Prince Imperial]

Let's hope the club has done enough lobbying that the Council is willing to approve the venue with some modifications (a slightly smaller building, more car parking etc) despite the recommendations. :(

[firstdogonthemoon]

Its a pity about the venue in general - but pokies are a gift from Satan. I have blathered on elsewhere about footy clubs not (at least us) not gaining advantage from pokies money.

I just hope they can work something else out.

It would also be good to not have the machines at Whitten oval.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Its a pity about the venue in general - but pokies are a gift from Satan. I have blathered on elsewhere about footy clubs not (at least us) not gaining advantage from pokies money.

I just hope they can work something else out.

It would also be good to not have the machines at Whitten oval.

It would be good if someone came along and gave us a whole lot of money but it ain't gonna happen

[hujsh]

It would be good if someone came along and gave us a whole lot of money but it ain't gonna happen

Why does Carlton get a bankroller and not us. Surely we deserve one more.

Does he see money to be made of them?

[firstdogonthemoon]

It would be good if someone came along and gave us a whole lot of money but it ain't gonna happen

Remember the Rodent? Remember the $20 million of tax payers money?

[bornadog]

'Well we need to rethink the Hilton and see how else we can make money. Does it have to be by way of gambling?

[Topdog]

Remember the Rodent? Remember the $20 million of tax payers money?

Funny that, I don't recall us actually receiving a cent of that money.

To the best of my knowledge our contract for pokies runs for a few years yet so if this gets rejected could we be in more finanicial trouble due to breaking a contract?

[LostDoggy]

Other clubs aren't stupid they have moved into the west with their pookies ie Caroline Springs, Sanctuary Lakes.
Was wasn't there a fuss about these venues?

[Prince Imperial]

Well yes, the council unaminously rejected the proposal. :( The Edgewater Community Association website refers to this and I've set this out below. They do expect an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) from Tattersalls. VCAT has the final say on this so we will just have to wait to see if there is an appeal and what the result is. VCAT has often been accused as being too pro-developer on planning matters which is something if true would be in our favour.


The first battle goes to the Maribyrnong Residents!

Firstly for those who couldn’t make it on Tuesday to the Council Meeting, Council unanimously rejected the planning permit. They spoke at length about

The damage that pokies venues will do to the area especially as it would bring more machines into an already saturated area of Maribyrnong

The need for Bulldogs to find other ways to raise funds

The fact that the community had provided a loud and clear message and the council agreed with them: that the development was inappropriate

But most importantly the plan was in direct contradiction of Maribyrnong Councils Planning laws on a number of points.

There were cheers when the resolution was passed. This is a great result for all who have been involved in

Writing objections, talking to councillors, keeping others informed, collecting signatures, researching the facts, writing letters to the paper, organising meetings maintaining the website, letter boxing the local area, photocopying flyers, hanging signs on balconies.

The formal recommendation was

That Council issue a Refusal to Grant a Planning Permit - to construct building and works for a 4-storey building containing a residential hotel, bistro, cafe, and to use the land for the purpose of a food and drink premises, place of assembly and gaming room, including installation of 65 electronic gaming machines, liquor licence and reduction in the carparking requirement on land at 31 Edgewater Boulevard, Maribyrnong on the following grounds:

1) The use of this location for a gaming venue is prohibited pursuant to the Schedule to Clause 52.28-4 of the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.

2) This is an inappropriate location for a gaming venue as the subject site is part of a strip shopping centre and will result in a saturation of gaming machines in an area with a community vulnerable to problem gambling, contrary to the objectives and decision guidelines of Clause 52.28 of the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.

3) The proposed gaming venue will adversely affect the social and economic wellbeing of the Maribyrnong community, contrary to the objectives and decision guidelines of Clause 52.28 of the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.

4)The reduction in the car parking requirement has not been sufficiently justified in respect of the locality and as a result the proposed development may have an adverse affect on the amenity of this locality, contrary to the objectives of Clause 52.06 of the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.

5) The car parking areas (including the loading area at the northern end) has not been designed appropriately to provide a safe and efficient environment for motorists (including large vehicles), contrary to the objectives of Clause 52.06 of the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.

6) The proposal will adversely affect the amenity of the surrounding area and the existing and future residential density, contrary to the objectives of Schedule 3 of Clause 37.02 of the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.

We are all expecting that the applicants, Tattersall’s and Bulldogs, will make an application to VCAT and if you sent an objection in you will be advised by mail. We will keep you updated via the website as well.

RAIDIM will be holding regular meetings to keep people informed. If you know someone who is not on email please pass our messages on, we do not have the resources to letterbox for every meeting.

Once again enjoy the feeling that the development has been stopped for now.

Other News

Tattersall’s has changed their application and have advised council that they will remove 11 machines from the city of Maribyrnong but they want to add 5 more machines to the Edgewater proposal.. The application for gaming licence has now been delayed. We will let you know when and if this will be heard.

We also expect Tattersall's and Bulldogs to apply for a liquor licence and will keep you informed when they make this happen.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Who wrote that blatant propaganda piece?

What a load of bollocks. I hope VCAT turn it over just because those wankers deserve it.

[Prince Imperial]

Who wrote that blatant propaganda piece?

What a load of bollocks. I hope VCAT turn it over just because those wankers deserve it.

The Edgewater Community Association. A key reason for the rejection was the proximity of the site to poor surrounding areas of Maribyrnong. I would think very few (if not any) non-Edgewater residents would have objected to the application with practically all of the objections coming from the quite well off brand new Edgewater estate whose residents are far less likely to suffer problem gambling issues.

[FrediKanoute]

'Well we need to rethink the Hilton and see how else we can make money. Does it have to be by way of gambling?

Gambling revenues are not the worst kind of revenues......Pokies as a form of gambling though are largely becuase they only really feed off a local population, much like a supermarket feeds off a local population for its sales.

What the Doggies need to do is embrance the world of online gambling. Get completely away from the local social club gambling and set up an internet gambling facility whcih firstly does more than simply prey on the underprivileged locals in the local area, by tapping into a much more geographically diverse area.

It could be an online casino. It could be online poker. It could be online sports betting. It doesn't even have to be limited to AFL or Australian sports. It would be a means of developing another revenue stream which would be gambling, but not gambling that relies on locals.

[The Coon Dog]

Dogs' $25m development turned down (http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/dogs-25m-development-turned-down/2008/05/31/1211654383166.html)

THE Western Bulldogs will fight Maribyrnong Council's refusal to allow them to build the $25 million "Bulldog Hilton" at the Edgewater Estate in Melbourne's west.

The council last week voted unanimously against the application for a four-star hotel, function centre, dining options and 65 poker machines. But the Bulldogs believe the council's planning concerns were overridden by misplaced anti-gaming sentiment.

The planning issues centred on inadequate car parking, the impact on local traffic and the fact that gaming machines are not permitted in strip shopping centres.

The Bulldogs are seeking to move the machines from three venues, including the redeveloped Whitten Oval, four kilometres away.

Bulldogs director Neil O'Keefe said the club hoped to work further with the council to alleviate its planning concerns before taking the application to appeal.

"We're very disappointed with the council's decision and we think that the anti-gaming lobby, if you want to call it that, has overcome what I would call good planning policy," O'Keefe said.

While the club has not made the application — developer Prizac and Tattersalls have — the Bulldogs are committed to signing a long-term lease to run the premises as their social venue.

The gaming licence application will be heard next month, with the machines a key part of the project, despite taking up less than 4% of the floor space.

"From the time we first began informally discussing the proposal with the council, we received assurances that the council's focus would stay on the planning issues because it wasn't a gaming matter. But we don't believe that is what has happened," O'Keefe said.

"I think they got it in their heads that this was going to be like the King Street nightclub strip with a whole lot of brawling in the streets at 4am and that couldn't be further from reality.

"I'm saying very openly that poker machines should never have been in shopping centres and never have been in pubs.

"The State Government is looking for high-quality destination venues where these machines will be placed and, in my view, this proposal from the Western Bulldogs is absolutely front and centre the kind of example the Government wants to push."

Maribyrnong Mayor Michelle MacDonald said the planning issues were "black and white" but confirmed the poker machines were the key reason the proposal had been rejected.

"The main reason we rejected it is because we as a council get to decide what is an appropriate venue for poker machines and it's completely inappropriate," she said. "It's less than a kilometre from our most disadvantaged areas and our most highly populated poorest communities, so all of those issues were quite cut and dried."

[Topdog]

2) This is an inappropriate location for a gaming venue as the subject site is part of a strip shopping centre and will result in a saturation of gaming machines in an area with a community vulnerable to problem gambling, contrary to the objectives and decision guidelines of Clause 52.28 of the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.

What do they call those pokies at Highpoint as being?

[LostDoggy]

VCAT hav a history of overturning Council decisions so this is still a reasonable bet to go through.

[Prince Imperial]

What do they call those pokies at Highpoint as being?

I suppose technically its not a "strip" shopping centre but which venue is far more likely to lure shoppers? A venue in a giant shopping complex or a venue facing the back of a supermarket with no more than two shops beside? The developers' submission before VCAT will centre upon that our venue is not part of a "strip" shopping centre and that will be a strong argument.

The council are politicians and when they receive 300 objections they are going to take the most negative view to get themselves re-elected. VCAT will be able to decide the matter independently without those pressures.

[Mofra]

VCAT hav a history of overturning Council decisions so this is still a reasonable bet to go through.
Absolutely.
Talking to an Edgewater resident, apparently there are plenty of people there for the development, as there is little there at the moment and the pokies will only be a tiny part of the complex. Estimates about 50 or so noisy residents are stopping the development.

Melborune 2030 is more of a concern to VCAT than it would be to one of the worst councils in the state.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Some wankers will complain about anything. Get a life.