
Oct 22 2024
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Selling Carlisle Street to Coles
In a once vibrant shopping street, there are now 30 vacant shops and key services provided by local traders have been lost in recent years as Coles and Woolworths grow ever more dominant.
Carlisle Street is at an extremely delicate point. Its future cannot be left simply to landlords and the retail giants.
Council has a vital role to play: as the planning authority, as steward of our community, and as a significant landholder in the street.
Two months ago, on the eve of this election, our Council initiated the sale of key parcels of land that we all own, sections of the Coles carpark.
The sale negotiation will be with Coles, there will not be an open tender. Coles has ‘presented a concept development masterplan’ to Councillors and officers but not to the public.
According to Council officers, Coles has ‘a proven track record of large scale, mixed-use development’ and the objectives of a structure plan for the area, drawn up 15 years ago, will be met.
But we have seen what Coles does best in Elsternwick and elsewhere – it seeks to funnel foot traffic and customers into a ‘full line’ supermarket. No need to shop anywhere else.
A little over fifteen years ago, our Council went to a tender process and supported the development of 30,000 metres of retail space on the triangle site at the St Kilda foreshore. It ended in tears.
Some key players in that saga are standing for Council again.
We are at a tipping point once more.
The distinctive character of our shopping streets will be lost if we bend to the interests of the major supermarkets.
If we outsource key planning decisions to major corporates we accelerate the process of homogenisation, where this place becomes nothing but another piece of real estate.




Fortunately, locals do care. A couple of weeks ago, 120 people passionate about a fairer, safer and sustainable future for Carlisle street attended a lively community forum.
Organised by BEST (Balaclava Environment Streets and Trees) and expertly compered by Justin Halliday, it presented not just critiques of the Council process but important examples of what could be done with a better process and a stronger vision.
Local writer and restaurant reviewer, Dani Valent, highlighted Koornang Road, Carnegie, as an example of how mass retailing could blend with vibrant local traders.
But we don’t have to look too far afield for inspiration.
The South Melbourne Market thrives with hundreds of small businesses proudly serving our community and much of Melbourne. Through its ownership and management of the market, Port Phillip Council has built up enormous expertise and understanding.
The intention to sell the Coles car park land near Carlisle Street should be withdrawn by the new Council. Work should begin on a new structure plan for the precinct.
This will be especially important as the State Government rolls out its major activity zones with the prospect of Carlisle street precinct being included in a future tranche.
Council’s land and knowledge should be leveraged to deliver for the wider community, not just corporate interests.
And Council must engage the local community in the process, drawing on local expertise to ensure the best outcome for any redevelopment. Only when the community’s interests have been secured should Council hand over the land.
Managed well, Carlisle street could become a model of how Council can foster thriving shopping villages across the municipality.
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