Sunday 2 October 2016

VOTE 1 JIM CHILD


4 comments:

  1. Hi Jim, Just wondering how you would help to move along the the Edgewater Development in Warburton? It seems to have hit a stalemate with the River Crew and has taken over 14 years! Also the Warburton Pool redevelopment? The town is struggling and many businesses are closing and left empty and many are for sale. Our kids have no opportunity for work and families are leaving.

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  2. Hi Grant, over the past four years I have been instrumental in ensuring that there are no Council barriers put in the way of the Edgewater Project, I moved in the Council Chambers (2 years ago) to grant a further extension of time for their planning permit so as the necessary and very complex State Government Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) requirements could be included in the permit. The BMO requires a certain amount of defendable space to be provided as per a Country Fire Authority direction, and this is where the problem lies with negotiations between the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning (DELWP), Upper Yarra River Recerve Committee of Management (UYRRCM) on behalf of DELWP and the Crockett Group (Edgewater), the ball is in the court of these three bodies! Being so frustrated with this situation I moved in Council Chambers that Council writes to the responsible State Government Minister to intervene, to no avail! Should I be re-elected I will find myself having again to fight for an extension of time for this much needed project.

    The Warburton Pool redevelopment known now as the Warburton Community Recreation Reserve. I have better news here, the project is progressing well with the public consultation completed and the design Architects Papworth Davis have been appointed. Papworth Davis are work over the coming months with Council staff and community representatives to reach a final design to go out for further community consultation.

    The project I really want to see to the fruition is the Warburton Mountain Bike Hub a $4M+ project that can give that destination focus back to the Warburton Valley.
    $23m returned annually to the Upper Yarra
    175 extra Jobs
    130 extra visitations annually
    Council over my term of office has become totally committed to this very important project, $300k commitment to the design stage with the appointment of Cox Architecture to do those works including all the necessary Parks Victoria, DELWP, Melbourne Water and Yarra Ranges Council permits. Once design and community consultation is completed the project is shovel ready for State Government funding.

    Combined with the soon to commence Warburton Streetscape and Thomas Ave Yarra River Project, I really believe these projects will regenerate employment and business opportunities in Warburton. Please don't hesitate to give me a call to discuss further 0419 550 523

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  3. H Jim
    I’m a bit disappointed to see absolutely no progress on the edge water resort & spa development despite the bike trail getting the funding for stage 1. I’m an investor in the project and am a local in Warburton and am keen to keep the estimated 130 000 visitors a year (from the bike trail) in Warburton. It would help keep a lot of families in the valley stay in the valley and would certainly help with the younger workforce getting actual work. I agree with Grant on this but it is now 2 years down the track. I have spoken to Gary Crochet and he is waiting to get the council to approve (in April 2018) a new building permit after the last delays prevented him from starting the project. The project had signed off on all the red tape so what the delay??? I’m not interested in what else you have done but want you to make your position clear. Is the council behind the project or are you all in election mode. An honest answer would be appreciated.
    Yours in anticipation
    Jason

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  4. Hi Jason,
    All the necessary approved planning permits per the Planning & Environment Act are in-place for the Edgewater Development, it's up to the developer to advance the project. At this point in time the developer complies with the planning permits.
    Council administers the Planning & Environment Act on behalf of the State Government. Yes, there are conditions of the Planning Permit that stipulate the commencement of the development, but the Planning & Environment Act allows for time extension and this has been granted. Also, the developer had to apply a complex amendment to the Planning Permits to meet the State Government's requirements of the Bushfire Management Overlay introduced by the State Government post the 2009 Bushfire Royal Commission. Council can refuse the granting of time extension of the Planning Permit, the developer then has the choice to start the planning process again or walk away! I have no intention of not supporting a time extension application for these Planning Permits bearing in mind the importance of the development and that the permit is tired to the property title, not the applicant.
    I'm as equally frustrated with the lack of progress with this development but the developer has every right as a freehold landholder to hold a Planning Permit and act on it accordingly.
    To the best of my knowledge the developer is still seeking the necessary multi million dollar finance investment to progress the development and with no investor or buyer waiting in the wings the waiting game continues. I can't emphasize enough that Council is very supportive of the Development has now done everything we can possibly do to advance this project other than to progress Destination projects such as the Yarra Valley Trail, Warburton Mountain Bike Destination and the Yarra Valley Railway which Local, State and Federal Governments have made significant investment, these projects will generate a demand for accommodation.
    I'm totally unaware of a new Planning Application for the Development.
    I can assure you if there was a way to advance this development through compliance with the Planning & Environment Act Council would act....... Please don't hesitate to give me a call (0408079227), I'm more than happy to discuss further.

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