Fw: Tues.21.12.21 daily digest, part 2
  Roderick Smith


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Tues.21.12.21 Melbourne 'Herald Sun'.  Furious locals push for action over level crossing removal project John Masanauskas December 21, 2021
Outraged residents who say level-crossing removal projects are destroying amenities in their neighbourhoods want the Ombudsman to step in.
video: Trees from Mont Albert's Avenue of Honour cut down
At least three of nine trees at Mont Albert's Avenue of Honour on Churchill Street which was planted in honour of local World War 1 veterans are cut down to allow for a level crossing removal project
Local residents angry over level-crossing removal projects harming the amenity of their areas have called on the Victorian Ombudsman to intervene.
Representatives of six groups covering suburbs from Pakenham to Strathmore have accused the state government’s Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) of an “autocratic, aggressive and adversarial organisational culture that rewards ‘getting the job done’ at almost any cost”.
In a letter to Ombudsman Deborah Glass, the groups claim the LXRP routinely refused to acknowledge negative project impacts on areas such as residential amenity. “This refusal often leads impacted residents to experience distress and a strong sense of disempowerment,” it said.
Residents are furious that the Mont Albert Avenue of Honour trees are being cut down for a train station.
Last week, some Mont Albert residents expressed outrage when trees planted in honour of local World War I veterans were chopped down for a level-crossing project.
The trees were removed to make way for a hi-rail access pad involving the proposed combined Mont Albert and Surrey Hills station.
Mont Albert and Surrey Hills activists joined Montmorency, Cheltenham, Pakenham and Strathmore groups to ask Ms Glass to look into project issues.
“Our shared experiences raise deep concerns around the planning and building of these projects, in particular the transparency and integrity of the process followed by the LXRP,” their letter said. “We have observed misuse of process, the misleading of local councils and the community, and conflicts of interest.”
Issues raised include allegations of improper consultation, lack of transparency, secretive processes, and in some cases presenting “final” plans only to later make significant changes.
“We cannot accept that the practices and behaviours we have observed should become normalised, and do not believe they should become further entrenched and prejudice outcomes in other projects around Victoria,” the letter said.
Trees are cut down on the Mont Albert Avenue of Honour to make way for a train station.
A sign on a tree on the Mont Albert Avenue of Honour.
The groups acknowledged the importance of the government’s extensive infrastructure agenda, but said “this agenda does not legitimise … pervasive practices”.
Level Crossing Removal CEO Kevin Devlin said community feedback played a big part in shaping projects.
“And we’ve proudly engaged with locals on each of the 56 dangerous and congested level crossings we’ve removed since 2015,” he said.
More Coverage
Mont Albert residents
Train station merger leaves Surrey Hills locals furious
“We work with locals to achieve the best outcome for each area, and our level crossing removal projects deliver huge benefits including improved safety, eased congestion, new stations and more train services.”
The LXRP said community feedback was taken into account on every level crossing removal project.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/furious-locals-push-for-action-over-level-crossing-removal-project/news-story/1cd5d0b96df1850a07ca6bbcb155638b>

Tues.21.12.21 Melbourne 'Herald Sun'.  Architect ego.  NATHAN MAWBY
THE Melbourne Star Observation Wheel would be moved to the Yarra River’s edge under a proposal to reinvent the CBD.
The idea from Bates Smart — the architecture firm behind Federation Square and Crown casino — would bury the tracks on the river’s northern bank between Flinders St Station and Southern Cross and cover them with a 7ha park the size of Flagstaff Gardens.
The vision, which complements the City of Melbourne’s $300m proposed Greenline plans, would also relocate the Melbourne Aquarium to Docklands.
Bates Smart director Julian Anderson estimated the project would cost billions, but could be offset with a levy on the redevelopment of the “unloved” and “unat- tractive” Banana Alley build- ings along Flinders St and Flinders Lane.
There would also be economic benefits from the project that could potentially make better use of two of the CBD’s biggest attractions.
“The Star is in entirely the wrong location  and mayb it needs to be moved somewhere tourists and visitors would enjoy the view more to make it more of a destination,” Mr Anderson said.
“And the Melbourne Aquarium has come to the end of its useful life in that space.
“There’s opportunity to do something better with that site and I think the aquarium would be better at Central Pier in Docklands.”
Buyers on a shortlist are understood to want to acquire the Melbourne Star Observa- tion Wheel after its owner, MB Star Properties, became insolvent.
In the firm’s vision, trees and gardens would create a buffer along the Flinders St side of the park.
Open lawns, children’s playgrounds and event spaces able to accommodate night markets and festivals would be installed along the river side.
Mr Anderson noted the buffer zone could “contribute to reducing the likelihood of flooding”, in line with a City of Melbourne requirement for Flinders St and Flinders Lane developments to modify ground levels in response to flood risk posed by climate change.
And the project would help highlight the site’s history as a fishing and river crossing point of the Boon Wurrung and Woi Wurrung First Nation’s people, and as an early settlement point of Europeans.
Heritage features, including a rail bridge in the pro- posed park area, would be framed by the gardens and their significance showcased in a more accessible way.
Mr Anderson noted the City of Melbourne now required developments on Flinders St and Flinders Lane to modify ground levels in response to flood risk posed by climate change.
“A large buffer zone like this could contribute to reducing the likelihood of flooding,” he said.
Bates Smart surveyed almost 1000 workers or employers connected to the CBD during the pandemic and found 70 per cent wanted more parks and visible greenery on buildings.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said she appreciated interest from industry in the Greenline project, which would revitalise the river’s northern bank with a 6m wide promenade between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge.
“We are always excited to see the ideas the private sector has to improve Melbourne — and we welcome proposals that will attract more people into the city and create local jobs,” Ms Capp said.


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