At the planning committee meeting last night the majority of Darebin Councilors voted to effectively demolish Preston Market in favour of moving and rebuilding it, even though the most recent report commissioned by council says that the key attributes of the market cannot be preserved in a new building at a new site.
In consideration of a recommendation authored by the Coordinator Strategic Planning, amendments suggested by Councilor Greco to preserve the current market on the current site were rejected.
Representatives from community groups, DADA and Save our Preston Market, gave two minute presentations on the significance of the building fabric and the living cultural history embedded within it.
There was a third invitation made to council for a briefing from the original architects on the aesthetic and technological significance of the old market buildings.
DADA believes there are ethical concerns when council is willing to take a briefing from developers but will not hear from the original architects.
Submission to Darebin Planning Committee 19082019Download
You can watch the debate here:
http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Your-Council/How-council-works/Meeting-Agendas-and-Minutes/Council-Meetings
Scroll down to Watch Council and Planning Committee Meetings and look for the Planning Committee Meeting dated 19th of August 2019. If you look carefully you will see some Councilors referring to a green paper. This is a paper that has not been shared with the community and is so far is not public. Secret council business?
You can read the final recommendation in the minutes here: http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Your-Council/How-council-works/Meeting-Agendas-and-Minutes/Council-Meeting
Maria Poletti
DADA President