Latest articles by David Schout
“Remarkably resilient”: Development pipeline strong in CBD
Building permit applications have surged across Melbourne, with the CBD remaining the “hottest property market” according to the City of Melbourne.
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Pedestrian numbers higher than pre-COVID as council renews focus on office workers return
For the first time since the onset of COVID-19, monthly pedestrian traffic in the City of Melbourne has hit a higher level since before the pandemic.
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Council urges government to clarify noise guidelines before ending 1am licence “freeze”
The City of Melbourne has urged the state government to clarify its definition of “noise sensitive areas” before it ends a 13-year freeze on new late-night venues in the CBD.
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Leaders, grieving families unite in push for CBD injecting room but Premier gives no guarantees
Almost 80 CEOs of community, health and welfare groups have signed a joint letter calling on the state government to open a CBD safe injecting room, but Premier Daniel Andrews said there was no guarantee the facility would open in the central city.
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The one thing uniting both sides of CBD safe injecting room debate
While the potential for a safe injecting room in the CBD is an emotive and often vexed debate, both sides are in fierce agreement on one point …
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“Sounding board for the city”: Presidents of Residents forum providing valuable counsel to council
Established during COVID-19 to collate feedback from well-connected locals, the “Presidents of Residents” forum is now a permanent part of decision-making at Town Hall.
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Council to overhaul on-street parking, simplify “confusing” signs
The City of Melbourne has vowed to make kerbside parking in the CBD more “fair, simple and reliable” after a survey revealed over 80 per cent of people found it hard locate a vacant space the last time they visited.
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“Get on with the job”: Greater push for injecting room as health teams face more CBD overdoses
Pointing to new data that revealed an increase in heroin overdose deaths, Cohealth says some “would still be alive” if a safe injecting facility was available in the CBD.
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“This is no Club X”: Laneway sex shop approved despite objections
The application for a new sex shop on a narrow CBD laneway has been approved by the City of Melbourne, despite residents expressing concerns about how it would impact the local area.
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Paris end development avoids demolition, saves annual emissions of almost 900 homes
Plans to build new office space atop an existing building at the “Paris end” of Collins St have been approved and widely praised for the project’s sustainability aims.
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Lifting of late-night liquor ban looms, as councillors call for review
The City of Melbourne will conduct a review of its local planning policy in response to the state government’s pledge to end a 13-year freeze on new late-night CBD venues.
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Rates to rise as cap doubles, but “modest” increase frustrates
City of Melbourne locals could pay up to 3.5 per cent more for their council rates next financial year, after the Victorian Government doubled the rate cap for 2023/24.
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Greenline stage one designs approved as locals have their say
Locals have had their say on the revitalisation of the Birrarung Marr river edge, mostly endorsing the first of five stages in the $300 million “city shaping” Greenline project, along the Yarra River.
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Five key questions for the CBD in 2023
The CBD continued its post-COVID recovery in 2022, and while there was cause for concern for some in the state’s epicentre, others might view the near future with their glasses half-full.
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Huge win for cyclists as Princes Bridge gets separated lane
A physically separated bike lane has been installed on one of the most prominent routes into the CBD, in a huge win for cyclists.
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Council targets less than one in 20 vacant shops next year
The City of Melbourne has set a drastic goal to fill empty shopfronts throughout the city, aiming for less than five per cent of vacancies in 2023.
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Push for swimmable Yarra River by 2030 continues
The campaign to create a swimmable Yarra River in central Melbourne by 2030 continues, with leaders converging for a key forum in November.
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CBD safety and injecting room on the agenda as candidates make their pitch ahead of Victorian Election
Candidates vying for the seat of Melbourne in the upcoming Victorian State Election spoke with CBD residents in October about a number of key local and wider issues.
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Red bricks ripped up as Hardware Lane revamped
Hardware Lane’s iconic red bricks will be ripped up and replaced by bluestone paving as part of $2 million works to improve the popular CBD dining laneway.
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Huge increase to greening of old buildings needed to hit 2040 net zero target
The current rate of local buildings being decarbonised per year was nowhere near that required for the City of Melbourne to reach its commitment of net zero emissions by 2040, a report has revealed.
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