Latest articles by Sean Car
Curtain set to fall on Witches in Britches site as councillors weigh office plan
A prominent West Melbourne corner long associated with the iconic Witches in Britches theatre restaurant is set to face a major transformation, with councillors next week to consider plans for a new four-storey office development on the site.
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Arden developer shortlist narrows as questions grow over secondary school and infrastructure
Planning for Melbourne’s future Arden precinct has entered a new phase, with Development Victoria confirming it has narrowed the field of developers competing to deliver the project’s central district from four bidders to two.
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Community group questions cohealth decisions ahead of government review
A community advocacy group has raised concerns about the actions of inner-city health provider cohealth, questioning how recent government funding has been used as an independent review into the organisation’s services nears completion.
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Council pushes to lock in land for parks and path in fast-growing Macaulay
The City of Melbourne is seeking stronger planning protection over a series of sites in Macaulay as it tries to secure land for future parks, drainage works and a key walking and cycling corridor in the rapidly growing precinct.
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Kensington residents call for truck ban as petition gains traction
A growing number of Kensington residents are calling for heavy trucks to be banned from Kensington Rd, arguing that increasing freight traffic through residential streets is putting safety and amenity at risk.
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Vale Simon Harvey: a generous voice for Kensington
Kensington has lost one of its most thoughtful and generous advocates.
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Soil works complete at Abbotsford St site, but future development remains unclear
Residents living near the long-vacant Abbotsford St site in North Melbourne have been advised that recent site works have now wrapped up, though uncertainty remains about when the final stage of the project will proceed.
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Planning shock as Minister sidelines Macaulay panel for state-led committee
The state government has stunned councillors and residents by scrapping a long-awaited independent planning panel for Macaulay and instead appointing a state-led advisory committee to rewrite the precinct’s future planning controls.
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Impasse over Royal Park’s eighth tee sparks calls for urgent fix
A long-running dispute over the eighth hole at Royal Park Golf Course has come to a head, with club representatives calling for urgent action to restore what they describe as the course’s “signature hole” to its former glory.
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West Melbourne pop-up café creates award-wage jobs for people with disability
A West Melbourne café collaboration is proving that good food and social impact can go hand in hand, with six trainees stepping into award-wage hospitality roles as part of an extended pop-up.
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Works begin on Macaulay Rd protected bike lanes following safety push
Construction of long-awaited protected bike lanes along Macaulay Rd has recently begun, marking a significant milestone in efforts to improve safety on one of Kensington’s busiest and most contentious corridors.
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Bellair St heritage extension set for approval despite 22 objections
A modest proposal to partially demolish and extend a heritage-listed cottage in Bellair St, Kensington, is expected to receive council approval, despite drawing 22 objections from nearby residents.
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Lord Mayor calls to end Racecourse Rd “complexitron” as council backs strategic update
Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece has called for Racecourse Rd to be brought under the control of a single council, arguing that the current split between the City of Melbourne and the City of Moonee Valley has created an unnecessary “complexitron” that is holding back one of the city’s most important corridors.
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Injunction bid seeks to halt public housing evictions as legal fight continues
Lawyers for public housing tenants in North Melbourne and Flemington will return to court this week, seeking an urgent injunction to stop Homes Victoria from evicting remaining residents while a further appeal is pursued.
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Flemington residents join colourful CHL community celebration
More than 150 residents across Community Housing Limited’s Melbourne communities came together this month for a series of vibrant neighbourhood celebrations, with the Flemington event on December 15 drawing strong local participation from families.
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The Macaulay “complexatron”: council’s latest push for more open space along Moonee Ponds Creek
The City of Melbourne has taken fresh steps to unlock long-promised parkland along Moonee Ponds Creek, as councillors grapple with what has been dubbed the Macaulay “complexatron” – a tangle of drainage funding gaps, fragmented land ownership and rising development pressure in the fast-growing urban renewal area.
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Macaulay planning rules take key step as four councillors exit over donation conflict
Long-awaited permanent planning controls for the Macaulay urban renewal precinct have taken a major step forward.
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West Gate Tunnel finally opens, promising major freight and transport gains despite years of delays and cost blowouts
After a turbulent construction period marked by delays, disputes and ballooning costs, the West Gate Tunnel officially opened on December 14 – three years later than planned and at more than double its original price tag.
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TAP delays, gas main bungle and “wait and see” approach anger North & West Melbourne residents
Less than one-eighth of the $100 million Transport and Amenity Program (TAP) has been spent as the West Gate Tunnel prepares to open, with City of Melbourne councillors questioning delays, broken promises and a “laughable” design bungle on Hawke St.
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Fat Andy’s brings big flavour and local pride to North Melbourne
A once-tired corner building at 445 Queensberry St, North Melbourne, has been lovingly restored and reborn as Fat Andy’s – a sandwich and coffee shop that’s already making waves with its hearty menu and unmistakable Melbourne character.
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