JULY 1, 2015 \ MARIBYRNONG.STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
Viva young musos
(Damjan Janevski)
Eager young musicians from Melbourne’s west have hit the recording studio to record their version of Coldplay’s Viva la Vida. More than 30 singers, violinists and cellists aged five to 16 – including Maisy, Amelie and Madison – were treated to a tour of the Kindred Studios recording facilities in Yarraville before joining Victoria University student mentors to create the recording. Organised by Laura Sheridan of Strings West and the Take Note Youth Choir, with Stephen Rando from the VU music department, the project involved VU students devising and delivering the workshop as part of their teaching studies within their music degree. VU sound production students produced the track, which will be launched at the Newport Folk Festival this weekend. Benjamin Millar
Unit, pokie plan panned Maribyrnong council has slammed planning laws that have paved the way for Australia’s first development with residential apartments above a pokies venue. Councillors last week voted to reverse their February rejection of a late amendment to plans for the development housing the Western Bulldogs’ $30 million Edgewater Club, claiming legal advice showed the council was powerless to stop a fifth storey of 12 split-level apartments being added to the project. Maribyrnong mayor Nam Quach told Star Weekly the council’s hands were tied after developer Prizac Investments lodged an application to have the matter heard by the
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Cr Quach accused the developer of a “cunning” last-minute addition to the development, which is already under construction. “It’s sneaky, cheeky and takes the community for granted,” he said. “To sneak this in at the back end puts the council in a very difficult position.” The council, which has waged a campaign against pokies, lost an expensive legal fight against the original Edgewater Club development, at 31 Edgewater Boulevard, in 2010. Despite the club being opposed by more than 2500 residents, VCAT set aside the council’s refusal of a four-storey building housing a sports bar, bistro, cafe, function space, 50 hotel
rooms and a gaming lounge with 70 gaming machines. Western Bulldogs acting chief executive Michael Quinn was quick to distance the club from the developer’s move to cut the number of hotel rooms to 38 while adding 12 apartments. “The application has been made by the ownerdeveloper Prizac. The Western Bulldogs are not involved with the application,” he said. Star Weekly contacted Prizac Investments, but a man who would not identify himself refused to answer questions and hung up. Cr Quach said the council was wary that fighting the last-minute addition in VCAT could create a precedent that opened the floodgates for similar developments. Maribyrnong council will write to Planning
Minister Richard Wynne seeking changes to the state planning policy to prevent gaming machines being located in residential buildings. The council will also write to Gaming Minister Jane Garrett calling for stronger powers to veto pokies in areas likely to have a net detriment to the community. A government spokeswoman said the ministers would look into the council’s concerns. Monash University School of Public Health senior lecturer Charles Livingstone said the mix of residential dwellings and gaming machines would set an alarming precedent. “People living in the same building as gaming machines are going to find a unique opportunity for accessibility to gaming,” he said.
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By Benjamin Millar