Archive: Macedon House
Last Updated 5/4/11
See: Developer speaks but not objector
(15/7/10 - P) Seems silliness just doesn't go away
Details are sketchy but it seems someone thinks the old retirement village proposal for a major flooding area in Gisborne, on an important heritage site (Macedon House), is still a great idea. Apparently an application has been made to Council to start this thing up again.
MRRA Says:
This was clearly a bad idea the first time around and we aren't aware of anything that makes it any better second time around. We will let you know what's happening as more information becomes available. We are hearing some residents in Gisborne have been contacted by the proponents. We also note People First are scheduled to appear before the Gisborne Outline Development Plan [ODP] panel on Wednesday 28 July at 10.00am at the Council offices in Gisborne.
Movement At Macedon House, But Which Way: Viculus Ltd Takes Over 'Retirement Village' at Gisborne?
(16/12/08 - P) Saga also sees former high profile directors of People First Living 'jump ship', including John Hewson
It's hard to know where to start with this one!
Remember all the kaffufle with the Macedon House retirement village takeover attempt a couple of years ago? Click here to see MRRA's archive. There's a planning scheme amendment pending to squeeze the retirement village over-development onto part of the Jackson's Creek floodplain in Gisborne. There hasn't been much movement on this proposal in recent times, not least possibly because a key player, Mr. Ted Sent, has probably had other things on his mind.
Someone alerted MRRA this week to a sudden interest by a company called Viculus Ltd. Read on...
Back in the middle of this year it appears a Memorandum of Agreement was struck between People First Retirement Living (applicants for the retirement village at Macedon House, in a Rural Conservation Zone where the use is prohibited), and Viculus Ltd.
You can see Viculus' expectations for the Macedon House site (love the photo!) at http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20080616/pdf/319n994rybyjdm.pdf Go to page 14, where it says the development approval is anticipated in 2009, and completion by 2010 (somewhat optimistic - perhaps Viculus Ltd weren't aware that a planning scheme amendment is needed to rezone the land for this purpose).
All of this caught the eye of the Australian Aged Care Industry Newsletter, which published this article:
AUSTRALIAN AGED CARE INDUSTRY NEWSLETTER
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Sent on his way again after a back-door listing
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
By Rebecca Urban
The Australian - Business
http://www.agedcaresales.com.au/newsletters/newsletter_310708.htm
"THE property development industry is buzzing with the news that accident-prone aged-care entrepreneur Ted Sent is back in the market.
The former bankrupt is best known as the founder of Primelife Corporation.
Sacked shortly after prominent business buddies Ronald Walker and Robert Champion de Crespigny bought shares in the listed retirement village giant back in 2003, Sent went on to sue for unfair dismissal.
Although he was unsuccessful, the high-profile court case turned out to be quite a spectacle.
Underworld boss Mick Gatto even made an appearance as a star witness and the court heard how Sent secretly paid the former boxer -- who, surprise, surprise, turned out to be quite a dab hand as a mediator -- more than $200,000 to help smooth over issues at building sites.
Sent then went on to establish a new venture, People First Retirement Living, with the aim of rebuilding his empire. While he no longer serves on the board, his longtime business associate Sandra Porter does, and Sent remains a shareholder.
His company now looks set to re-appear on the boards of the stock exchange, via a backdoor listing, after the listed shell Viculus announced a deal to acquire the assets of People First for $250 million.
So it appears to be a strange time for three of People First's most high-profile directors to jump ship. One-time prime-ministerial candidate John Hewson, aged-care mogul Shane Moran and monarchist David Flint called it quits last month, just days before the Viculus deal was made public."
But wait... there's more!
In September, Viculus Ltd was suspended from trading by the Australian Stock Exchange. Go to
http://www.delisted.com.au/Company/8554 main page, http://www.asx.com.au/asx/research/CompanyInfoSearchResults.jsp?searchBy=asxCode&allinfo=on&asxCode=VCL&companyName=&principalActivity=&industryGroup=NO#details for details.
Not finished yet!
A search today of the ASIC (Australian Securities and Investment Commission) website shows that in November, an application was made to wind up Viculus Ltd.
More About Macedon House
(6/7/08 - P) Seems Dr. John Hewson (10%), Mr. Doug Moran (10%) and Mr. Ted Sent (80%) are key players
A resident has alerted MRRA to a website http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent/documents/health/moran_nurshm.html#Retirement which sheds some insight into the aged care/retirement village industry in Australia generally, and provides a little more information about the "ownership" of the Macedon House retirement village project in particular. This may be of interest to Macedon Ranges' residents. It seems the three people above together own People First Retirement Villages, the company behind the Macedon House proposal. For more information, click on the above link, and go down the page to "Retirement Villages".
Gisborne's Macedon House Retirement Village Raises Its Ugly Head Again
(13/6/07 - P) On the comeback trail, with Melbourne Water's blessing we hear...
Information is coming in that the strongly-opposed Macedon House retirement village proposal has started to move again. Melbourne Water has withdrawn its objection and is said to now support rezoning the land - next to Jacksons Creek - from Rural Conservation to Residential 1. This time around, it's around 30 rather than 55 units because it seems that's all there is room for without putting units into the 100 year floodplain. Says a lot about our Council's decision to support rezoning for the original proposal, doesn't it? And, as one objector said, so much for the proponent's earlier statement that anything less than 55 units wouldn't be viable. It isn't known yet whether any 'revised' proposal will entail damage to the Macedon House structure itself.
MRRA Says:
There are rumours that the proponent team has already met "secretly" with some Councillors (er, as you do in Macedon Ranges).
There are certainly major hurdles still to be overcome before this one goes anywhere. What will be interesting to watch is whether our Council falls for putting this one forward, in its guise as Amendment C52, for Ministerial approval to be exhibited. MRRA's view is that, given the existing planning controls on the land, and the massive problems finding a strategic reason to make the rezoning changes required to get the proposal up, it might be a better idea to tell the proponent "we are already awash* with retirement villages, so thanks but no thanks" while there's still time to pull together some semblance of dignity in retreating from this undesirable and inappropriate proposal.
* Awash - literally as well as metaphorically, as the mother-of-all-retirement-villages in Woodend, recently approved by VCAT, sits smack-dab in the middle of a floodplain. What has society come to when anyone can think the best place for older folk is floodplains. We seem prepared to put older people where we wouldn't put kids or even perhaps pets, where no-one else in their right minds would want to go. Isn't it time (especially after this weekend's storm in NSW) to start rethinking planning, development and infrastructure standards from the ground up?
Gisborne's Macedon House: Application In Tatters But Council Says So What - Send It To An Amendment, Let An Independent Panel Sort It Out
(17/9/06 - P) Outrage as developers address Council but Mayor says objectors can't
Director of Sustainable Planning, Veronica Schilling, advised Councillors at last Wednesday's Planning Committee meeting to only support Part A of the officer's recommendation in the meeting agenda. Part A was that Council advise the applicant - People First Retirement Villages - to provide more information, further negotiate with Melbourne Water over the location of an Urban Floodway zone on the Macedon House site, and address flaws in the development design. Ms Schilling said that the extent of issues still unresolved with the joint Amendment / Planning Permit application made her wary of recommending Council proceed with Part B, and there were potential ramifications for Council if it did.
Part B included asking the Minister for Planning to approve exhibition of Amendment C52; getting an undertaking from the applicant to prepare documentation required to prepare and exhibit the amendment; Council preparing and exhibiting the amendment: and upon Council's adoption of the amendment and related permit application, a Section 173 agreement be required for public open space.
But the Director's caution didn't stop Cr. John Letchford (South) from championing the application as supportable even with its significant deficiencies. He felt any concerns with design, flooding, and so on could be dealt with ('sorted out') by a Panel appointed to hear submissions about the planning scheme amendment for the proposal. Council's own engineers had looked at it; it was in the fringe area of the floodplain and as per its August letter, while Melbourne Water had issues it didn't object to Residential rezoning . Cr. Helen Relph (South) asked what Melbourne Water's concerns were and was told earthworks; extent of the urban floodway zone Melbourne Water wants put in place; velocity of floodwaters; and likely, revised plans. Ms. Schilling advised subsequent Council follow up with Melbourne Water indicated its position had not changed.
Mr. Jim Coomes(?), a town planning consultant for People First, spoke to the meeting, saying in all his 35 years in planning he had never been aware of a responsible authority abrogating its statutory duties as Ms. Schilling had suggested in recommending Council not support sending this amendment forward. He said Melbourne Water had been misrepresented; it clearly had no objection to rezoning the land residential to accommodate the proposal, or concerns about flood storage, or upstream/downstream effects. Only issues about scouring and erosion remained. Mr. Coomes urged Council to send the amendment to the Minister for Planning for consent to put it on exhibition. He said the Department of Sustainability and Environment had indicated it would not support the Urban Floodway zone wanted by Melbourne Water at this time, and when asked what impact the Restructure Overlay applied to the land had on the proposal, Mr. Coomes said it was superfluous because the land would be consolidated as required by the RO as part of the development.
After Mr. Coomes' presentation, a woman who was an objector to the proposal asked to also address Council. Mayor Geoff Neil refused her request. When she protested the bias of Council allowing the developer's representative to address Council, but refusing an objector the same opportunity, the Mayor warned her if she wasn't quiet, she would be removed from the meeting. The objector said she wanted it recorded in the minutes that she and another objector had been refused access to Council.
Cr. Rob Guthrie (South) moved Part A, Cr. Tom Gyorffy (West) seconded. The motion was carried unopposed.
Cr. John Letchford (South) then moved, and Cr. Noel Harvey (West) seconded an alternative motion (an amended Part B as circulated, a copy of which was not provided to the gallery). Cr. Letchford waxed lyrical on the wonderful work done, and how well supported the proposal is - there is a petition with 120 signatures including the neighbouring bowling club. It was a great opportunity to have a retirement village within walking distance of the town. There was nothing hidden, the applicant had bent over backwards to please. There was less visual impact with units nestled into the hillside. He could speak volumes about the recommendation. There was no adverse impact on the house and its surrounds, he had seen an artist's impression and it sets a very good tone of urban design. Cr. Tom Gyorffy (West) opposed, saying there are concerns with the efficiency of operations. He said Ms Schilling had said get the application to a point where it can go on to the next stage; there is still a need to assess the Restructure Overlay, Melbourne Water's requirements. There was no point going on until those things were settled. Council should support Ms Schilling's advice.
Cr. Rob Guthrie (South) pointed out the Restructure Overlay in fact severely impacts the proposal because it stipulates no further dwellings can be constructed on any of the site's 7 titles. It would be illegal to put any more houses than the one that currently exists. He disagreed with the favourable interpretations that had been put on where Melbourne Water stood as it was quite clear from documentation that Melbourne Water is looking for an Urban Floodway zone and nothing can be built in that zone. He said the proposal had a long way to go and it was misleading to say Melbourne Water supports the proposal. The Gisborne Flood Study recommendations (still not publicly released) also impact the site. It wasn't appropriate to take the proposal any further than Part A.
Cr. Henry Bleeck (East) said he supported moving it forward. He said if it didn't move on, Council would be moving like a snail. He said it was an ideal application and would put character into Gisborne, giving it a bigger rate base and so Gisborne could pay for its own pool. Cr. Noel Harvey (West) said Council had been going backwards and forwards on this application since it was elected. It hadn't said no, just sat on the fence. Let's say we support it in principle, do concurrent work, allow it to proceed with some discussion with Melbourne Water which has said it has no objections. On-going discussions with MW weren't sufficient reason to hold it up. Cr. John Letchford said Council had already discussed it with the applicants on 2 or 3 occasions. Cr. Helen Relph said the matters had been discussed at length, and no-one was being cut out of the process. Macedon Ranges had been the envy of the State having a site where residents can walk to the town centre. The historic aspect is very very fine. If Council can't get it moving, it puts the proposal at risk. The benefits far outweigh the downsides. Very good, very attractive. Mayor Geoff Neil (East) opposed the alternative motion, saying the proposal should go to a panel. Definite issues need to be sorted - send it to a panel and Council will make recommendations.
Ms Veronica Schilling advised at this stage that Council should be mindful that this was a joint amendment and permit process and that to go to exhibition, Council needed to prepare permit conditions. This had not yet been done because of the application's incompleteness, nor had referral authorities been consulted. Cr. Noel Harvey (West) supported adding conditions later. Cr. John Letchford (South) closed saying the meeting had heard from officers, and fine words in regard to the application. Correct it with a panel. Melbourne Water will have no objection to a panel, and will work with the applicant to move it forward. If Council supports the proposal in principle, why not move it forward? A number of items have been fixed by panels.
The Alternative Part B motion was supported by Crs. Letchford, Relph, Bleeck and Harvey. It was opposed by Crs Gyorffy, Guthrie, McGregor and Neil. The motion was lost on the casting vote of the Mayor.
Mayor Neil then moved, and Cr. John Letchford seconded, the officer's Part B recommendation and were supported by Crs. Bleeck and Harvey. Crs. McGregor, Guthrie, Gyorffy and Relph opposed. The motion was carried on the casting vote of the Mayor.
Note: Cr. John Connor, and CE Ian Morris, were absent from the meeting.
MRRA Says:
Simply gob-smacking, isn't it? We have four Councillors who are going to support this proposal, come hell or, very likely, high water. What an example of fundamental and profound lack of caution, and ignorance of planning protocols - not to mention denial of natural justice! Surely the Minister for Planning will demand higher standards than these four Councillors are prepared to settle for, and refuse to approve exhibition of this ephemeral and incomplete application? If anyone was in doubt before this item was considered that the only priority some of our Councillors seem to have is getting the development, rather than getting it right, and favouring applicants over community, doubt no more.
Gisborne Residents Start To Shift In The Saddle As Macedon House Retirement Village Rides Again
(15/8/06 - P) But an over-development is an over-development no matter how prettily it's packaged...
Reports from Gisborne residents after last Thursday's meeting with the Macedon House project developers, People First, suggest not all that much has changed, and there are still problems with this latest 'improved' proposal to put a(nother) retirement village on a floodplain. Residents reported there wasn't much concrete information available, and the 45 units that appeared in a local newspaper article should have read 48 units - only 4 fewer than the original proposal. This time around, Macedon House is 'saved', although the developers want to cut a hole in one wall of Macedon House (reportedly, the rubble wall) for a new main entry, between two of the supporting buttresses. Another larger hole is planned to be cut on another wall (where there's currently a window) for another new doorway. There are no plans for archaeological supervision of any excavations. And to get over the extremely "floodplain" situation, there's 1.5 metres of fill going onto the floodplain (there are also reports of 2 metres of fill and concrete walls), with no prior archaeological excavation of the area to be filled. One improvement is the height of the building directly behind Macedon House has been lowered so the homestead isn't swamped quite so badly as before; however there are still other units behind it going up the hill which detract from its historical setting. Some form of application is expected to be lodged with Council this week.
MRRA Says:
We hear the big sell is on with this one, with the developers apparently joining one of the Gisborne business groups and trying to convince Gisborne businesses that with the retirement village, there's an additional million dollars in cups of coffee in it for them. Residents tell MRRA that at last Thursday's meeting, the developers' representatives openly admitted to having had several private meetings with Macedon Ranges' Councillors, the latest being a private meeting with five Councillors last week - MRRA wonder which ones? Wouldn't be the same ones that we hear met with developers of the 876 lot subdivision in Gisborne, the applicants for a new resort in Lawson Road, the developers of Macedon Lodge, and the developers of the huge retirement village in Woodend, would it? We'd love to know which Councillors, because we think the community and objectors (who aren't necessarily being invited to meet privately - or otherwise - with developers or Councillors), have a right to know which Councillors developers are cosying up to so we can see if there's any correlation with how these Councillors vote on those applications.
They're Back! Macedon House Retirement Village Meeting This Thursday (August 10) In Gisborne
(7/8/06 - P) Like the search for the Holy Grail, the quest to put a retirement village on a floodplain continues even though it's prohibited by the planning scheme.
Gisborne residents advise MRRA they have been notified by the developer that an "information session" will be held on the revamped retirement village proposal on Thursday August 10, at the Gisborne Bowling Club in Kilmore Road between 5.00 pm and 8.00pm, in the Bowling Club Clubhouse. It's 45 units instead of 52 this time. Developers now apparently claim they've solved the heritage problems, the traffic problems, the flooding problems... A cynic suggested that perhaps they had solved the Israeli-Lebanon problem as well! See Macedon House archive.
MRRA Says:
We haven't heard how they intend to solve the problem about the zone prohibiting what they want, although with an increasingly rubber-stamping, shut-'em-out Council as ours seems to be, that might not even be seen as being a problem
It's Official: Council Says 'No' To Macedon House
(18/3/06 - P) But it's not over yet...
Objectors to the 51 unit retirement village proposal at Macedon House have been officially notified that Council has refused the application. Grounds for refusal are that the proposal is prohibited in the Rural Conservation zone (a zone recently applied to the land through Amendment C48). However, the applicant People First, has lodged an application for a planning scheme amendment (C52) to rezone the land to a zone which would allow the proposal to be considered again.
MRRA Says:
Objectors need to keep up to the minute with the C52 rezoning proposal. There are a number of options for running an amendment process, and objectors should make sure Council and the Minister for Planning know that residents want a process they can participate in, not a Ministerial amendment, if any serious consideration is to be given to such a rezoning proposal.
Macedon House, Gisborne
(25/2/06 - P) State heritage listing: hearing postponed
Here's the advice MRRA received from the Save Macedon House Coalition:
Just wanted to let you know that the Heritage Victoria hearing on the nomination of Macedon House for State listing, scheduled for March 10, has been postponed at the request of the developer. No new date assigned yet. Stay tuned...
Macedon House – Melbourne Water Says No, Then Changes Its Mind
(11/2/06 – P) Shock as referral authority ‘thinks again’ about whether 2.5 metres of floodwater knocks out retirement village proposal on floodplain
In an amazing turnabout, Melbourne Water, which in its referral authority response to Council seemed quite adamant that the Macedon House property was NOT an appropriate site for a retirement village (see below), is now reconsidering its position. MRRA notes that Melbourne Water’s uncertainty surfaced after it met with the Macedon House developer team. The image this part-reversal conjures up is not an attractive one so let’s all hope that after Melbourne Water ‘reconsiders’, common sense, safety and best practice prevails.
Macedon House Retirement Village – Melbourne Water Says “NO”
(29/1/06 – P) It should now be all over, Red Rover, but is it?
Latest news is that Melbourne Water has vetoed the Macedon House proposal. As a Referral Authority under section 55 of the Planning and Environment Act, Melbourne Water’s objection leaves Council with no option but to reject the joint amendment/planning permit application for this proposal. Melbourne Water’s objection stems from the amount of flooding that affects the property, making it unsuitable for the proposed retirement village development, and from the potential loss of floodwater storage space that would occur if the Macedon House property was filled with earthworks to lift the development above the floodwater. However, MRRA understands that the developer views Melbourne Water’s response as a ‘technical’ issue and a meeting between the developer and Melbourne Water will take place tomorrow (Monday).
MRRA Says:
We hope Melbourne Water sticks to the principles it has put forward in its response to the proposal. Even without the hurdle of significant flooding and ‘excessive’ risk, the proposal would still have to overcome major issues surrounding heritage values, the environmental zoning, and road access and safety, not to mention the current Road Zone which applies to part of the property (i.e. how did publicly owned land become privately owned land without an amendment to the planning scheme to recognise that change?).
Heritage Victoria Wants Submissions on Macedon House by 7th January
(23/12/05 – P) Call for you to support heritage protection for Gisborne icon
Here’s a plea for help from the Save Macedon House Coalition:
Could everyone please write to Heritage Victoria? Doesn’t have to be a long letter, it just needs to make the following points:
The address is to send submissions to is:
Ray Tonkin, Heritage Victoria,
PO Box 500, East Melbourne 3002
This all relates to the notice placed by Heritage Victoria in the Telegraph public notices the week before last and on the site itself. Heritage Vic is pretty flexible about the deadline in recognition of the Christmas holiday period, but the sooner the better! The official deadline is January 7. The notice asks for submissions on the developer's plans. The units surround the house on three sides. Some trees will be removed but it's unclear at this stage which ones.
Macedon House Meeting Confirms Flooding Problems Plague Site
(23/12/05 – P) Objectors report developers remain confident
Developer held an info session in Gisborne today (20th). Lots of experts, lots of glossy pictures, not much concrete information. These are the basics of what we were told:
Macedon House will be surrounded on three sides by retirement units with some landscaping between the house and the units on the sides, and a pond and landscaping at the front. They plan to build up most of the site to block floodwaters & along with that do some flood mitigation works upstream in concert with the council (assuming the council actually does any), so that flooding downstream is not worsened. Most of the units would be on built-up areas so would not require digging for construction.
They say that if there was any digging required close to the house they would do an archaeological excavation first. Although they can apply for the retirement village under the current zoning, they've also applied for a rezoning because they say an environment rural zone in the middle of a town is wrong (regardless of the fact that that zoning was put on there to protect the creek and escarpment). Some say Macedon House itself completely loses its character amid all the little units. The sense of space and history it gives to Gisborne will be gone.
Some people came out of the session frustrated at the lack of detailed information. Many questions asked, they didn't have the answers to at this stage. For anyone who was only concerned that Macedon House be kept, that's certainly the case if this plan goes ahead & they appear to be working with Heritage Victoria on the restoration. For those who don’t think that site is the right place for a high density development like this, you are urged to have a look at the plans and re-state any objections you have.
Their planning guy (a cousin of the Coomes who did the previous flood study) reckons they can replace the lost water storage area by ''digging a big hole & calling it a retarding basin'' upstream, presumably in the public park area, so that the total volume of water going downstream wouldn’t be affected. They were all very glib & basically said there's an engineering solution to everything. Mayor Geoff Neil was the only councillor present.
Call For Residents To Attend Macedon House Meeting And Make Submissions For Part Demolition
(14/12/05 – P) Developer Calls Meeting For Tuesday 20th December and Heritage Victoria calls for submissions on part demolition of Macedon House within 21 days
Here’s the information MRRA received from the Save Macedon House Coalition:
The battle drags on…
People First have called a public meeting for next Tuesday, 20th December, 5.30 to 7pm, at the Mechanics Hall, Hamilton Street, Gisborne. There's a public notice in the local rags. They’ve asked people to register for it by phoning them (which request the Save Macedon House Coalition suggests people ignore as prior registration doesn’t seem compatible with the concept of a ‘public’ meeting). It's short notice, and it's almost Xmas week, and 5.30 is an appalling time, but please try to get there anyway, and encourage anyone you know who's interested to go. The council needs to get the message that a lot of people remain concerned about this proposal - either that or contact People First & complain about the bad timing.
Also in the local papers is a notice from Heritage Victoria about the developer's plans to demolish the timber part at the back (which is not as old as the rest) & reconstruct part of the building. Heritage Victoria is calling for submissions within 21 days. Their ad says the plans are available at the service centre.
Macedon House Development On The Table Again
(24/11/05 – P) Plans in Gisborne this week
We have received advice from the Save Macedon House Coalition that the Macedon House retirement village has reared its head again, this time without demolishing Macedon House. However, it seems there’s a problem with zoning on the land because if and when the Minister for Planning finally translates our planning scheme into the new State Rural Zones, the retirement village will be prohibited. For the proposal to go ahead, the current environmental zoning would need to be ‘spot’ rezoned to a Residential zone, which might be unlikely considering the flood overlay on the land not to mention the pending results of the Gisborne Flood Study. Another twist in this saga is that part of the land proposed for the retirement village is actually a Road Zone (part of the former Calder Highway road reserve). No-one seems to know how it got to be part of the retirement village proposal. Here’s what the Save Macedon House Coalition had to say:
The developers have lodged an amended plan for the Macedon House development this week. Still wanting the retirement village but proposing to restore and use the building [Macedon House] as a community centre. Details are vague at this stage. Plans should be at the Gisborne service centre this week. People First are madly spin-doctoring on their new (ha!) plan -- phone calls and personal letters to all objectors. On the face of it they're doing the right thing, talking about public meetings & info nights and consultation etc, but the bottom line is they’ve said that if the Council doesn’t rezone and approve the permit, they'll let Macedon House sit and rot till it falls down of its own accord. Charming people.
UPDATE 11 Gisborne’s Heritage “Macedon House”
(29/9/05 – P) Council decides behind closed doors not to accept developer’s offer
Council went behind closed doors at its Planning Committee meeting on 14th September to consider a proposal by People First Retirement Villages. Details of the proposal have not been made public. However the resolution carried by Council in camera is publicly available, although it doesn’t make as much sense as it would if we knew what proposal had been put to Council!
“It was moved by Cr Guthrie seconded by Cr Dunn that the Officer Recommendation as contained in the Confidential Report be adopted viz That the Planning Committee advise the applicant that;
MRRA has also received an update from the Save Macedon House Coalition:
…it wasn’t the final decision, but the Council did reject the developer's proposal for a land swap and rezoning etc. The general view is still that the application's got slim chance of success, though it's still under assessment by the planning dept. They've asked for further information from the developer, which means there's no danger at this stage of time running out and the developer being able to take it to VCAT claiming failure to determine. It may possibly be ready for consideration in the October planning committee meeting (i.e. 12th October) but even that isn't certain. We'll continue to keep an eye on it and if anything develops (pardon the pun) you'll all be the first to know!
Gisborne’s Heritage “Macedon House” Makes It!
(20/9/05 – P) Call for public submissions in support (by November 16th) as Heritage Victoria recommends Macedon House be included on the State Heritage Register
People across the Shire who value our past are jubilant that Heritage Victoria has recommended Macedon House in Gisborne be included on the State’s Heritage Register. This confirms what most of us already knew, that Macedon House is a heritage treasure. HV’s recommendation provides immediate, permanent State–level protection from demolition, or building changes, or inappropriate surrounding building and works. It even seems the property can’t even be sold without Heritage Victoria’s approval. The recommendation covers the entire site around the building and the older trees.
Heritage Victoria is calling for public submissions on its recommendation to protect Macedon House, so start drafting your letter of support now. A copy of the Heritage Victoria documentation has been left at the Gisborne Library (see Rhonda). People wanting more information or an email copy of the documentation should email the Save Macedon House Coalition on mailto:macedonhouse@hotmail.com
The address for submissions is:
Registrations Coordinator,
Heritage Victoria,
Level 22,
80 Collins Street,
Melbourne 3000,
or Fax: 9655 9720
or Email: joanne.boyd@dse.vic.gov.au
MRRA Says:
Well done Pip and the crew who have campaigned hard to have Macedon House’s saved from destruction by damaging development – the kind none of us wants. Well done Macedon Ranges’ residents who rallied around the Save Macedon House Coalition. Get behind Heritage Victoria and Save Macedon House Coalition by sending a letter of support for the recommendation to be adopted.
Council To Look At Macedon House at Wednesday’s 14th September Planning Committee Meeting
(12/9/05 – P) But it will all be done behind closed doors
Councillors will take their first formal look at the Macedon House proposal at the Planning Committee Meeting to be held this Wednesday (14th September), in Kyneton starting at 7.00 pm. Council has the option of having any resolution made behind those closed doors read out publicly in the chamber. For more information, go to Council’s website www.mrsc.vic.gov.au and check out the Notice Paper for the 14th September Planning Committee meeting, page 74.
UPDATE 10 Gisborne’s Heritage “Macedon House” To Be Bulldozed?
(2/9/05 – P) Latest update from “Save Macedon House Coalition”
The application is still going through the council planning process, and it looks as though it won’t be ready for Council’s September 14 Planning Committee meeting. There are a number of problems with the application, not least that it is incomplete and contains errors. Presumably the applicant will go to VCAT if Council refuses it but that's a way down the track and by then (hopefully) the Minister will have made zoning changes that prevent any development like this on that site.
As far as Heritage Victoria goes, they're still researching and this can be a very long process, but that's not a problem. Anyone who wants to contribute comment or a submission to Heritage Victoria will get an opportunity as the process continues, and Heritage Victoria will advertise when they want submissions.
So for now, take a short break, and once again thanks for the support and the letters to the Council on this. Your response has left no doubt in Council's mind what the community's view is on Macedon House.
UPDATE 9 Macedon House: Progress Report
(31/7/05 – P) 37 objections and counting – keep those objections coming!
MRRA is advised that as of last Friday, 37 objections to the proposal for Macedon House had been lodged with Council. The applicant apparently still hasn’t provided a traffic report required for referring the application to VicRoads. At this stage, best advice is that the proposal should come before Council’s Planning Committee meeting scheduled for September 15th. If YOU want to speak to Council about the application, there will be an opportunity for objectors to speak to Council about the application at that meeting (it’s unlikely there will be an applicant/objector meeting beforehand. So if you want to have your say – GET YOUR OBJECTION IN TO COUNCIL.
UPDATE 8 Macedon House: Heritage Victoria Investigates
(31/7/05 – P) A little breathing space – for now (keep those objections going!)
Here’s an update MRRA received from an objector to the Macedon House demolition and retirement village proposal:
“So far there's no Council response to the land swap People First have suggested. It's pretty clear it's Looking unrealistic & the Council is unlikely to go for it – at least while the building's in disrepair - but we're still trying to get an official response.
Heritage Victoria experts have inspected Macedon House and are now investigating its early history. They are ready to slap an interim protection order on the building if it looks like demolition is imminent, and say they are watching the situation. If they decide it doesn’t warrant State protection, we should know that about mid-August. If they decide to continue the assessment, it will be advertised probably in September, and there will be opportunities for third parties, i.e. any interested local people, to contribute information, opinions etc. If it continues, the whole process probably won’t be concluded before early 2006, and while they're investigating it can't be demolished, no matter what the Council might decide.”
UPDATE 7 Macedon House: Leader Newspaper Asks “Should Council Give Rotary Park Up For Development In Return For Macedon House?”
(28/7/05 – P) Have your say NOW
The Leader newspaper is asking residents to say whether Macedon Ranges Council should be doing a ‘land swap’ giving public land to a developer to stop the developer demolishing Macedon House. Write to the Leader at 30 Station Street, Sunbury, 3429, email on mailto:sunbury@ldr.newsltd.com.au or fax 9744 9333.
UPDATE 6 VERY RED ALERT Macedon House: Are Developers Trying To Do Deal With Council – ‘Give Us Public Land Instead’?
(21/7/05 – P) The Minister for Planning, Rob Hulls, could stop this…
MRRA is disturbed to hear that the developers who want to demolish Macedon House may be trying to do a ‘land swap’ with Macedon Ranges Council: e.g. swap Macedon House (to Council) for some of the adjoining public reserve land, rezoned Residential 1 (from Council). What next? Will there be the usual developer threats of taking the proposal to VCAT if Council refuses the application?
Apparently a demolition permit has been lodged separately to the application for the retirement village so residents will have to be on guard – if this is the case, the demolition and development applications won’t be considered together so don’t wait for the retirement village application. Object now.
MRRA Says:
How anyone could think any such ‘land swap’ would be a ‘win-win’ situation is beyond MRRA.
How could Minister for Planning Rob Hulls stop this? An amendment to Macedon Ranges planning scheme, swapping our current rural zones for the new State rural zones, has been before the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Minister since Council asked the Minister to swap the zones over in March (that’s four months ago). The zoning of the land at Macedon House is currently Environmental Rural. When the Minister finally approves changing to the new State rural zones, the land at Macedon House will become a Rural Conservation Zone, a zone where retirement villages are prohibited. We have heard for some time that Minister Hulls is ‘about to sign off’ on the amendment, but we are still waiting…
UPDATE 5 Gisborne’s Heritage “Macedon House” To Be Bulldozed?
(21/7/05 – P) Get your objection in NOW
MRRA has been advised that:
It's unlikely an application to demolish Macedon House will be considered by Macedon Ranges Council before mid-August. There will likely be a meeting between objectors and the applicant organised by Council before Council considers the application, which will provide objectors with an opportunity to express their views to the developer.
Heritage Victoria has started assessing the nomination, and is believed to have asked the applicant for permission to go on the property to examine the building. Objectors are hoping an interim protection order will be put in place while Heritage Victoria carries out a full investigation (which apparently could take several months). There is no guarantee interim protection will be provided and Heritage Victoria has not yet indicated what the next steps will be.
The National Trust in Melbourne has submitted an objection to the council & is a party to the heritage nomination, and a member of a family which lived at Macedon House has also objected as have several local people.
UPDATE 4 Gisborne’s Heritage “Macedon House” To Be Bulldozed? Developer Disputes Age of House
(21/7/05 – P) Does it matter?
The developer looking to demolish Macedon House in Gisborne (and some of the mature trees on the land) is reported to have hired a heritage advisor in what appears to be a quest to make Macedon House younger than it is. The developer is claiming Macedon House dates from the 1860s; however, evidence exists that Macedon House was around in the 1840s. Does the developer honestly think it would be OK to demolish Macedon House if it was 1860s rather than 1840s?
Proposal to Demolish Macedon House Makes State News
(11/7/05 - P) Community set to fight back
The Age today published an article about the planning permit application to demolish historic Macedon House and put up (yet another) retirement village (click here to see the article). Also today, Councillor Rob Guthrie was interviewed by Jon Faine on 774, and Channel 10 featured a story on its nightly news. MRRA believes another article may also appear in the Bendigo Advertiser tomorrow.
‘Save MACEDON HOUSE Coalition’ Formed
(8/7/05 – P) Gisborne residents get serious to fight Macedon House demolition: Coalition’s email address is
macedonhouse.hotmail.com Apology: we got the Coalition’s email address wrong. Here’s the correct one: macedonhouse@hotmail.com
Outrage and opposition, to a retirement village proposal that will see Gisborne’s Macedon House and several of its mature trees demolished, is sky-rocketing in Gisborne. Residents have formed a ‘Save Macedon House Coalition’ group to fight the proposal. At this stage, only email contact is available (as above). Watch for an advertisement next week’s Macedon Ranges Telegraph for more information. In the meantime, you might like to send an email to the group expressing your support – don’t forget to include your contact details. You might also like the check out the website of People First Retirement Living (the applicant for demolition) www.pfrl.com.au or send an email at info@pfrl.com.au Coloured plans of the Gisborne proposal are shown on the pfrl website.
UPDATE 3 Action Required
(8/7/05 – P) Application for Retirement Village advertised – Get those objections in!
Notice has now been given in this week’s local newspapers of the planning permit application to demolish Macedon House and build a 50 unit and community centre retirement village.
UPDATE 2 Action Required
(3/7/05 – P) Information just in: the plans for Macedon House show that a number of the trees are to be knocked out as well - elms, oaks etc. which the application says are of ‘no value’; two pines at the entrance may be kept, subject to being able to 'stabilise' limbs. MRRA has also heard a report that the applicant, People First Retirement Services Pty. Ltd., of which we understand Mr. Ted Sent is an owner, has apparently ordered copies of local papers to be sent to their Camberwell offices for the next few weeks to look for MORE development sites, and not just in Gisborne. See original item at 27/6/05 below.
UPDATE 1 Action Required Gisborne’s Heritage “Macedon House” To Be Bulldozed?
(29/6/05 – P) More planning lunacy as 1840’s building is to be demolished in application for…. what else: another retirement village!
Planning permit application number and plans now available. MRRA is advised the application file for this proposal will be at the Gisborne Service Centre by Friday (1st July) and may be advertised next week. The Permit Application No. is P205-0309. See original item at 27/6/05 below.
Gisborne’s Heritage “Macedon House” To Be Bulldozed?
(27/6/05 - P) More planning lunacy as 1840’s building is to be demolished in application for…. what else: another retirement village!
Gisborne (and other) residents will need to be on their toes in making submissions on the latest in a recent spate of attempts to turn Macedon Ranges into a retirement village mecca. There have already been two proposed on floodways in Woodend, there’s the current 5 storey towering over Gisborne’s Sankey Reserve, and now this.
An application has now been lodged by People First Retirement Services for 53 villa units and a community centre at the Macedon House site on the Jacksons Creek floodplain in Kilmore Road. The site is classified by the National Trust, is recommended for inclusion in the Register of the National Estate, and may also be on the Victorian Heritage Register. The application involves demolishing Macedon House, one of the oldest buildings in Gisborne (pre-dating the gold rushes). Macedon House was until recently occupied by the Montessori School and has had a variety of roles, including as a restaurant in the 1990’s. The developers claim the structure is derelict and only remnants of the original structure remain, and those can’t be renovated. The site is presently zoned Environmental Rural and, under Amendment C21 (Rural Land Review) and introduction of the new State rural zones, will become a Rural Conservation zone. It is therefore disturbing to learn that the applicants appear to be seeking ‘in principle’ support for the proposal from Council, on the advice of Council’s Planning Manager Barry Green, before the zoning changes and ‘retirement village’ becomes a prohibited use. Here in Macedon Ranges we have been waiting some 3 months for the Minister for Planning to translate the present scheme to the new State rural zones.
MRRA Says:
If a senior planning officer of Council has advised a developer to rush to get ‘in principle’ support from Council to beat the new zoning, we have to ask why Council has such a planning officer who gives such advice.
When Council adopted Amendment C21, and when it asked the Minister to translate the planning scheme into the new State rural zones, it had made a decision about, and was taking a position on, how things would happen in future. It’s bad enough that some of our Councillors don’t get it, but if bad advice is coming from within, from officers, we really are in trouble. Council should be upholding the position it took when it decided to ask the Minister to translate the scheme – that is, that a retirement village would be prohibited on this site – not walking away from that position to accommodate development aspirations, as seems to be the case here. The Minister could of course close the debate by translating the scheme into the new rural zones ASAP.
UPDATE: (28/7/05 – P) MRRA has now been advised by a Council spokesman that the advice Mr. Green gave the developer was that approval of Amendment C21 (Rural Land Review) is imminent (Amendment C21, and a related State rural zone translation, is currently with the Minister for Planning awaiting his approval) and when approved would prohibit the proposed development and, on that basis, the application for a retirement village on this site would not be looked upon favourably by Council.