coherence.com.au

Cancer Council, Public Health, Skin Cancer, Slap On A Hat 5 comments

HATS OFF TO THOSE WHO KEPT ON WEARING HATS

By Barbara Carlisle on February 8th, 2017

BARE HEADED—-THE BRAVE NEW ERA

Hats were more than fashionable they were required

When ever you see a photo of a crowd from around the turn of the last century, up until the 1960’s, it seemed that practically every man and most women were wearing a hat regardless of their economic status or profession. When did the wearing of hats become unpopular? After about 1964, nowadays, if you walk down Flinder Street, travel by Bus or Train or attend race meetings you will see very few people wearing a wide brimmed hat. They have became so rare you might have thought that the hat itself was the cause of diseases – like skin cancers. The reason we wore hats, like other clothing items, was to protect our skin. In addition, less exposure to the sun delayed the development Continue reading HATS OFF TO THOSE WHO KEPT ON WEARING HATS →

Apartments, Chinese, Federal Government, Lending Authorities, Manningham Council 8 comments

SECOND HAND APARTMENTS CHEAPER THAN EVER

By Barbara Carlisle on January 27th, 2017

High Rental Ratio To Purchase Price But No Capital Gain

SQM research. Apt Prices in Red/Yellow Houses in Blue. Doncaster 3108 Click to enlarge

Apartments may seem an attractive purchase because of their higher rent yield to purchase price ratio but the short term gain is nullified by the absence of any long term capital gain. In the period since 2011, Doncaster asking prices have fallen by as much as $50K. This is one of the reasons why Australian lending authorities are revaluing off-the-plan dwellings, sold up to two years beforehand, well below the initial purchase price. As a result, purchasers are required to cover any shortfall between the sales price and what banks are willing to lend. Depending on the amount of money paid, their have been instances where purchasers have defaulted, walked away and forfeited their deposit. If the trend continues it will be financial trap for owner occupiers who will have Continue reading SECOND HAND APARTMENTS CHEAPER THAN EVER →

Manningham Council, Pedestrians, Traffic & Parking, Vic State Government, VicRoads 6 comments

NO GRADE SEPARATION IN WESTFIELD EXPANSION

By Doris Tran on January 1st, 2017

LACK OF PLAN TO SEPARATE BUSES COULD STYMIE AMENDMENT REQUEST

Westfield Extension 1.
Click to Enlarge

Westfield Extension 2.
Click to enlarge

In June 2013, Manningham engineers advised that a grade-separation of Buses through Doncaster Hill would be required. “Plans have yet to be completed but it is likely, given the area topography, a combination of both bridges and tunnels would be needed to achieve the desired grade separation, without this, road-based public transport services will fail to operate successfully on Doncaster Hill due to the delay and impact, primarily to buses, caused by ongoing development and increasing traffic congestion in the activities area and the surrounding road network”

“There will also be Continue reading NO GRADE SEPARATION IN WESTFIELD EXPANSION →

Apartments, High Density developments, Manningham Council, Vic State Government 13 comments

NEW APARTMENT DESIGN STANDARDS IN VICTORIA

By Barbara Carlisle on December 18th, 2016

LIGHT, SPACE AND STORAGE FOR ALL NEW APARTMENTS?

Direct light to all rooms Click to enlarge

The long-awaited standards, announced on Friday, effective from March 17 next year, will put an end to apartments with small rooms without windows, borrowed light or “Gun Barrel” designs, where a window to a room is located at the end of a long corridor. With the new regulations, all bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens and studies will require windows that are visible and have access to natural light, not from light wells or reflected light, to all positions in the rooms.

Backlog in Inner Melb
Click to enlarge

Unfortunately the new provisions do not apply to approvals or applications received before March 17th 2017. Currently there is a backlog of more than the 50,000 apartments that would be exempt from the new regulations plus further applications pending that the authority might receive in the meantime before the new apartment provisions come into operation. New apartments will be required to have between six to 10 cubic metres of extra storage space. This reform was encouraged by the investigation into the fire at Docklands’ Lacrosse building (photo next page) that revealed residents were storing their possessions in fire hydrant cupboards and on balconies, due to overcrowding, that helped fuel the blaze.

New open Continue reading NEW APARTMENT DESIGN STANDARDS IN VICTORIA →

Apartments, Emergency Evacuation, High Density developments, State Government 4 comments

WYNNE SHOWS CONTEMPT FOR PANEL AND PUBLIC

By Barbara Carlisle on December 11th, 2016

“Halfway through its term, Victorian Labor has joined the big-city development camp. Labor’s strategy is to side with vested interests while pretending to listen to rising resident concerns about rampant development. But packed public meetings across the metropolitan area are demanding greater development regulation, pitting residents against big capital, unions and compliant gov’t”.

Michael Buxton is Professor Environment and Planning, RMIT University.

Twin 70 Storey for families Click to enlarge

70 Storeys for families
Click to enlarge

In the Age Newspaper article, 11/12/16, he writes : No government ever asked the people of Melbourne if they wanted their city to become a high rise metropolis. No plan set such a goal. Governments decided for us. One explanation for Labor’s approach is its addiction to land-related tax revenue – currently at about $7.6 billion annually – and its desperation to maintain the construction industry share of 7 per cent of state production. The construction industry wields enormous influence through its multi-layered development, business and service elements. Peak development groups lobby effectively. Unions are a powerful lobby group with Labor. One example of the government’s approach is the recent rules Continue reading WYNNE SHOWS CONTEMPT FOR PANEL AND PUBLIC →

Manningham Council, Town House Style Development, VCAT 8 comments

VCAT REJECT THREE STOREY IN BEVERLEY STREET

By Barbara Carlisle on December 6th, 2016

Two Storey Beverley St
Click to enlarge

Two Storey Beverley Street Click to enlarge

Two Storey Beverley St
Click to enlarge

Tribunal Comments: “In reference to the height (10m), it is recognised that the desirability of providing some flexibility for design outcomes that might include, for example, the need to accommodate varied topographical conditions that are a characteristic feature in Manningham, pitched roof forms, architectural features or even a recessive third storey element”. “Thus, I consider that the approach advocated for the applicant, said to derive from a strategic imperative to fill the building envelope by reference to its maximum height, is a flawed yardstick with which to measure the acceptability of this proposal”.

VCAT decision…..p627-2016-wang-v-manningham-cc-anor-mat12091

John Joyner, Continue reading VCAT REJECT THREE STOREY IN BEVERLEY STREET →

Apartments, Child Welfare, Public Health 5 comments

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY EMERGING HEALTH ISSUES

By Barbara Carlisle on November 21st, 2016

Nearly one third of Australian adults are suffering vitamin D deficiency according to a study involving more than 11,000 adults from around the country. This is the first national study to evaluate the vitamin D status of Australians. Greatest risk for deficiency were women, elderly and obese, people doing less than 2.5 hours of physical activity a week, and non- European background.

Vitamiin D for Good health Click to enlarge

The results highlight vitamin D deficiency as a major public health issue for Australia that requires urgent attention, said study leader Professor Robin Daly, Chair of Exercise and Ageing within the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research at Deakin University, and honorary fellow in the Department of Medicine (Northwest Academic Centre) at the University of Melbourne.

“Vitamin D deficiency is emerging as a major health problem worldwide. It is clear from the results of our study that, despite an abundance of vitamin D rich sunlight, Australians are not immune from this issue,” he said. “Low levels of vitamin D can contribute to a number of serious, potentially Continue reading VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY EMERGING HEALTH ISSUES →

Councillors, Elections, Manningham Council 8 comments

ELECTED COUNCILLORS SIGN THE OATH OF OFFICE

By Barbara Carlisle on November 14th, 2016

PUBLIC IMAGE AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

M. Zafiropolous
Koonung

Dot Haynes
Koonung

Anna Chen
Koonung

I recognise that Councillors play a key role, both individually and collectively, in maintaining a positive public image and in preserving public confidence in the Council.

I will: a) use my best endeavours to build and maintain sound and productive working relationships with fellow Councillors (b) refrain

Paul McLeish
Mullum Mullum

Sophy Galbally
Mullum Mullum

Andrew Conlan
Mullum Mullum

from actions that may damage the image of the Council and my Councillor colleagues (c) ensure that my communications do not contain remarks of a personal, derogatory, insulting or offensive nature directed at current and former Councillors or Council staff. (Communication mediums include but

Paula Piccinini
Heidi

Michelle Kleinert
Heidi

Geoff Gough
Heidi

are not limited to verbal, letters, faxes, emails, SMS messages, and any social media (d) ensure that any comments I make on social media are clearly identified as personal opinions that do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council (e) ensure that a any media statements are factual and devoid of comments that could reasonably be construed as being derogatory, offensive or insulting to any person Continue reading ELECTED COUNCILLORS SIGN THE OATH OF OFFICE →

Manningham Council, Road Safety, Traffic & Parking 3 comments

CITY TO HILL TRAFFIC USE ELGAR RD SIDE STREETS

By Barbara Carlisle on November 6th, 2016

Distance and direction websites are now recommending Elgar Road via sides streets such as Frank, Hanke, Boyd and Eildon Streets for inward bound vehicles accessing Doncaster Hill instead of via the more direct route on Doncaster Road because the high rise apartment towers have no alternative access exit facility other than from Doncaster Road, an arterial without service lanes.

Frank St in 2006……. an unlikely Collector Road

Several parking and traffic studies on Doncaster Hill indicated that with the number high rise developments being completed there would be corresponding capacity constraints in the road network with limited opportunities available to accommodate the projected growth in traffic volumes. Congested traffic conditions similar to inner Melbourne were expected Continue reading CITY TO HILL TRAFFIC USE ELGAR RD SIDE STREETS →

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