The future of Wilson Street?

This passage from a book by crime writer Robert Crais describes how Wilson Street could look in 10 years time if this kind of unthoughtful overdevelopment goes ahead:

"It was one of those older areas where single-family homes had been scraped away a house at a time, replaced by four- or six-unit apartment buildings built on the cheap by heirs, retirees, or doctors looking for a positive cash flow. Now the street was lined by small buildings that looked like they had been designed on paper napkins while everyone laughed about how much money they would make. Dana's building looking like a Big Mac carton."

Excerpt from The Forgotten Man by Robert Crais, p131

(Wilson St already has it's own Big Mac carton, approved by Moreland Council - see if you can spot it next time you're here.)

Save our street!

Why would Moreland Council want to destroy this quiet, family-friendly community?

(... when Brunswick is full of warehouses and large industrial sites which could be developed into apartment buildings.)

Wilson Street, which runs between Jewell train station and Temple Park, is under threat with news that Moreland Council are set to approve a development of three separate double-storey units containing balconies on a block of land measuring approximately 8m x 37m at 117 Wilson St. The development would be surrounded by small, single-storey weatherboard houses which have little insulation to block noise from the balconies.

Why would Moreland Council approve such a development?

If this development goes ahead it’s clear residents affected by the housing (many of whom have recently renovated, some to accommodate newborns) will have no choice but to redevelop themselves or sell to developers – is this a ploy to create a ‘domino effect’ whereby the whole area is developed into apartments?

A Case of Bad Planning

The current application contravenes Rescode on many levels, but to sum up, here are some reasons why this development should NOT go ahead:

• it is inconsistent with existing neighbourhood character


• it is an overdevelopment of the site


• it affects the amenity of neighbouring properties


• the noise from three balconies will be too much for residents (particularly as they are already terrorised by noise from the balconies on the Spanish Cellars building on Barkly Street.)

The Human Cost

The cul-de-sac at the Temple Park end of Wilson Street where 117 lies is a quiet, friendly place which contains young families, students and elderly people, many of whom know each other and regularly socialise. These residents, along with residents as far away as Gold Street, have already been battling noise from parties and gatherings held on balconies at two apartments at the back of the Spanish Cellars buildings, since VCAT approved the building’s development. The conditions that VCAT put on the Spanish Cellars building to shield residents from the intrusion of that development are a joke – particularly the 'privacy screens' – which tenants use to sit on and view the goings on Wilson Street backyards while making comments on the activities there.

Good development vs bad development

Wilson St residents have no problem with high density housing. They do have a problem with greedy developments that ignore the existing pattern of development and neighbourhood character, resulting in a loss of amenity to neighbours and the area generally. A permit for this application would create a precedent that Rescode does not apply right across the Brunswick Activity Centre meaning developers can do what they please.

The development plan as it exists is clearly an overdevelopment of the small site, completely inappropriate for the character of this area and insensitive to the current residents of this community - and must be stopped.

Please Moreland Council - look after the people who elected you, pay you rates and make this friendly, diverse Brunswick community a wonderful place to live.

For all enquiries please call 0404 072225 or email savewilsonstreet@yahoo.com.au