Latest news with #ex-ABC
Herald Sun
a day ago
- Business
- Herald Sun
Planning minister approves 11-storey tower at ex-ABC Elsternwick site
Elsternwick is set for a huge new, 11-storey tower after the Victorian government fast-tracked a $150m development of a former ABC complex that hosted iconic TV show Countdown. Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny has approved the controversial plan including 148 homes retail and office spaces, and 400-plus car parks atop a new Woolworths supermarket at the ex-ABC site, under the state's Development Facilitation Program. It aims to streamline the planning process for projects that will increase Victoria's pipeline of residences. RELATED: National Housing Accord up to 60,000 new homes short in first year Dan Andrews' 'ghost' home legacy revealed as apartment towers stall Iconic Melbourne pool site could sell for up to $3m The development at 10-16 Selwyn St is located within the state government's future Activity Centre designated for the Elsternwick train station and tram zone, one of 50 earmarked for increased housing density across Melbourne. While community consultation is yet to happen for the Elsternwick area, some of the other activity zones are expected to potentially have buildings of up to 15 to 20 levels constructed. Previous plans for the Selwyn St site had also been set to add soaring towers, but prompted significant community backlash and didn't proceed. Records show the ABC sold the address for about $51.7m in 2017, after using it for recordings of Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell and The Weekly with Charlie Pickering. Countdown, a show hosted by music and TV industry legend Molly Meldrum in the 1970s and 1980s, was also sometimes filmed at the studio, warehouse and office site in addition to another nearby ex-ABC studio on Gordon St. In 2019, a group of residents held multiple protests against an earlier proposal to build two towers at the Selwyn St location amid overdevelopment fears. The newest plan features a mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences, with 10 per cent of the homes to be designated as affordable. A section of the development is set to become a community hub as part of Selwyn St's Jewish Arts Quarter. Planning documents prepared on behalf of Pace Development Group – who are developing the site on behalf of Woolworths – state that the hub will include a function space, museum and library. In addition to the studios, a heritage-listed former fire station on the site will be restored and repurposed as a BWS liquor store after Heritage Victoria green lit the suggestion. The development is close to the Elsternwick train station and other public transport. The planning documents state that the development is located in area where existing building heights range from one to 11 storeys. More than 4950 new homes have been fast-tracked through the Development Facilitation Program since September 2023. 'Victorians are telling us they want more homes in well-connected areas – and this project will deliver almost 150 homes right in the heart of Elsternwick, close to the train station, tram and bus stops,' Ms Kilkenny said. A local business operator, who asked not to be named, said although many residents were against too much development in the beachside suburb, there was a need for more density in Melbourne to help combat the housing crisis — and it should have been made taller. 'If Australia is genuine about solving the housing crisis, they will have to put up with density,' they said. 'And if ever there was a perfect site for density, it's this one.' Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Matthew Dellavedova sells bayside home after Melbourne exit Toorak: $30m+ health-boosting mansion sold to overseas-based buyer $36m blow to super fund-backed ISPT could hit Aussie retirements
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Vancouver mayor's former chief of staff starts new political party
Kareem Allam, a longtime political strategist who helped propel ABC Vancouver to power, is launching the city's newest political party with a goal of unseating Ken Sim, the mayor he once served as chief of staff. Allam — ABC's former campaign manager and more recently, its most outspoken critic — has publicly mused in recent weeks of running for office and had set up committees made up of mostly former B.C. Liberals to gauge the level of support he'd have in a run. On Thursday, the Vancouver Liberals was officially registered with Elections B.C. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. It's a party Allam hopes would attract 'pragmatists' and people across the political spectrum unhappy with the direction the city is headed under ABC. 'I anticipate there would be pure centre, pure left and even centre right,' he said. 'I'm just looking for the best and brightest in the city regardless of their political affiliation.' The party also released its logo: A stylized V and L with the V made up by an image of Anna's hummingbird, the city's official bird. 'We thought it was reflective of the city,' with the bird's red, blue, and green colours representing the political spectrum, Allam said. 'We want to bring in the Greens, New Democrats and Conservatives,' he said. 'We want all aspects to feel welcome.' In addition to running for mayor, Allam said his party will run a full slate of council, park board, and school board candidates in the October 2026 municipal election. He's also open to ex-ABC elected officials joining. The party is going to have one overarching goal, he said: To create a fiscal and social platform that attracts young people back to the city. 'We need young people to invest in the city and lay down roots. Right now they're leaving Vancouver by droves,' he said, noting that while Surrey's school district is enrolling about 85,000 kids in K-12, Vancouver has less than 50,000 kids and is shrinking. 'We believe it's a challenge, but we believe it's doable.' He vowed to work to reverse that trend, including by cutting red tape and removing 'layers of policies' that make home building in Vancouver more expensive and time-consuming than other municipalities. He also said he'd put taxpayer dollars towards improving parks and playgrounds and expanding community centre and library hours. Allam was largely credited with masterminding ABC's sweeping victory in 2022, when the upstart party won majorities in council, park board, and school board. He served as Sim's chief of staff for 89 days until he was removed from the position in February 2023. Since then, Allam has been outspoken in his criticism of some ABC policies, including Sim's move to abolish the park board, the party's efforts to suspend the work of the integrity commissioner, the Hastings Street decampment and Vancouver police's Project Barrage. In May, Allam and businessman Alex G. Tsakumis were sued by Sim in B.C. Supreme Court for alleged defamatory comments about an alleged impaired driving incident. This week, Allam filed a response to the lawsuit, denying his comments were defamatory and said the lawsuit should be dropped. Allam said his new party and political ambitions have nothing to do with the lawsuit or his contentious relationship with Sim. 'I'm not running for any other reason than I think I can do a better job,' he said. 'I love this city and I don't like the direction it's headed in.' chchan@
