Proposed Harbour Frankston Development
MEDIA RELEASE 15th August 2022
Proposed Harbour Frankston Development-
446-450 Nepean Highway Frankston
Proposed Harbour building
KCA strongly supports the community vision for Frankston City as the Lifestyle
Capital of Victoria. KCA are not anti-development, we advocate for a balance which
provides for sensitive development in harmony with our stunning natural
environment.
Together with State Government and Council, KCA supported the TAFE to Bay
Structure Planning which saw the revitalisation of the Kananook Creek Precinct as a
high priority by connecting our town centre with our waterfront and creating an active
marine precinct -a valued destination for residents and visitors alike. A decade later
this priority is still very much alive.
KCA supports the strategy for Frankston town centre to accommodate more
residential buildings but not without sensitive constraint and adoption of best practice
planning which enhances our lifestyle and achieves our community vision.
Our main concerns are:
1. Wrong Place
This 50-metre-high rise development is simply in the wrong place -higher rise
development should be away from Frankston’s celebrated coastline and closer to the transport interchange.
2. Wrong Timing
Council is not expected to receive the Draft Structure Plan for the Frankston
Metropolitan Activity Centre (FMAC) before October 2022. After Council considers this Draft Plan, it will go out for extensive community consultation.
This is to wrong time for Council to approve a proposal which deviates materially
from existing FMAC building guidelines. Council should wait for the outcomes of the
Structure Plan update before approving any material departure from existing
community guidelines.
3. Frankston does not want to create a “Great Wall “of high rise on Frankston’s
iconic waterfront.
If Council approves Harbour Frankston, a precedent is made and there is a real risk
of creating a barrier wall of 50 metre and above high-rise buildings between the town
centre and the coastline.
If a key element of the Structure plan is to connect the town centre with the
waterfront, then a Great Wall is not in the best interest of the community using any of
the triple bottom line measures -environmental, economic or social.
4. A 50 metre wall of built environment will have a detrimental impact on the
Kananook Creek Precinct and Nepean Highway revitalisation projects.
The higher the development, then the more severe is the impact of overshadowing
and wind force on the surrounding streetscapes below. This is an undeniable fact –
just look at our own experience with the South East Water building.
5. Kananook Creek Boulevard is too valuable as a community asset in the
future planning of the Kananook Creek precinct to be considered as the main
vehicular access of residents and service vehicles.
The plan for this promenade by a high value waterway is predominantly for more
pedestrian, not vehicular, traffic.
Kananook Creek Boulevard is already a one-way road and in peak beach season the
Wells St intersection at Mc Donald’s is already a major choke point for visitors from
across the Frankston region. Would Council consider aggravating this problem even
further?
Margaret Hunter
Hon.Secretary
Do we want to see a great wall of high rise overshadowing our beautiful beach?
