Support for rezoned ETU building 

The City of Melbourne has recommended that the Victorian Planning Minister considers an amendment that rezones the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) building in North Melbourne. 

The amendment would see the ETU-owned site, located at 192-200 Arden Street, change from General Residential 1 Zone to Mixed Use Zone.

The council advised that the amendment proceeds as exhibited, which would see new site-specific height and setback controls incorporated for any future development of the site. 

It has also recommended that an independent panel appointed by Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny should be established to hear and consider all submissions to the amendment.

The motion was unanimously endorsed, however, five councillors had to leave the chamber due to a conflict of interest pertaining to “campaign donations”. 

This included Lord Mayor Nick Reece, Deputy Lord Mayor Rosheena Cambell, and the two councillors on Reece’s leadership ticket, Kevin Louey and Mark Scott. 

Labor-affiliated Cr Davydd Griffiths also left the chamber. 

The City of Melbourne’s 2020 donation register revealed that the ETU donated $15,000 to Phil Reed’s leadership ticket on which Cr Griffiths was listed. 

It is understood that the ETU has no current plans for the development of the site, but the owners have indicated an intention to continue using it and that they also plan to increase the building floor area to accommodate expanded facilities.

Community support for the amendment is divided, with an even split “for” and “against” within the submissions made to the council. Of the ten submissions, five support the rezoning while the other five raised specific concerns with the amendment regarding urban character, building height, car parking and overshadowing. 

Currently, a 20-metre-tall, repurposed office complex stands next to a four-storey commercial and community-use building on the site.

The ETU has owned and occupied the site for more than 10 years and currently uses the site predominantly as its administrative head office. •