Community benefits from the sale of public land in Balaclava

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that the heart of Balaclava is facing a once-in-a-generation redevelopment. Coles has consolidated more than a hectare of land and is now seeking to purchase strategically important public land from the City of Port Phillip, paving the way for major redevelopment of the precinct.

Residents have participated extensively in Council consultations, lodged a petition and repeatedly called for a development that gives back to Balaclava, including affordable housing targets, meaningful public open space, protection for local traders and mature trees, sustainability best practice, and expert-reviewed quality design outcomes. Yet despite years of consultation, the fundamental terms attached to the proposed land sale remain almost entirely unchanged from objectives developed a decade ago. Many claimed community benefits also largely reflect outcomes already required or expected through the planning system.

Once the land is sold, the local council loses the unique leverage that comes with public ownership. The community is not asking to stop development. We are asking that development beyond the existing planning envelope deliver public benefit and design quality and that the value created through greater development capacity is shared with the community.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government and the Minister for Planning to intervene before the sale of public land within the Balaclava Coles precinct proceeds, and work with the City of Port Phillip to review and strengthen the Section 173 Agreement and terms of sale to secure substantial, additional and legally enforceable community benefits commensurate with the scale and development potential of the site, before this strategically important public land passes into private ownership.