On Wednesday night, the City of Port Phillip unanimously endorsed a motion to sell a parcel of Council-owned land and a number of roads to Coles.
This represents a major milestone in the revitalisation of Carlisle Street and surrounds as it will enable the redevelopment of the Coles Balaclava site.
Any sale of Council-owned land or roads must follow a process set out under legislation. The statutory process for this sale began in August 2024 under the previous Council. Over the past year there has been deep and meaningful community consultation and engagement regarding the future of this site. I want to extend my thanks to the community members who shared their ideas, and in particular the members of Better Balaclava, the Carlisle Street Traders Association, local residents, landowners, and community service organisations.
During the consultation process, Council heard a wide range of views. Some were opposed to any sale. Most however were open to it, if community interests could be protected. That feedback has been essential in shaping our negotiations with Coles.
One challenge faced by Council was that this particular decision for Council was a sale of land transaction – Council does not own the entire Coles site and the redevelopment project has not yet reached a design or planning stage. For that reason the measures available to safeguard and promote community interests were limited and had to be incorporated into the agreements facilitating the sale. Additionally, Council also secured a Memorandum of Understanding with Coles to support ongoing community input as the redevelopment project advances through the planning stage. Council will continue to work with Coles to advocate for good design and community outcomes and will continue to encourage community consultation in the process.
The negotiations with Coles secured several key conditions in the sale, including:
A full line supermarket, with parking and mixed use development.
A minimum of 250m2 of open public space.
Provision for affordable housing.
Heritage protections.
Improved pedestrian links through the site.
Multiple shopfront and plaza entrances.
In the lead up to the Council meeting on 24 September, I carefully considered the risks and benefits. I came to the conclusion that despite some remaining challenges, in my view the benefits of the project (such as investment in Carlisle Street, new housing, and additional public space) are too great to ignore.
Conversely, continuing with the status quo or taking steps leading to further delays would, in my view, risk degradation of the street. That would not be the best outcome for Balaclava.
Now that Council has taken this important step, Council must also support traders and community service organisations throughout the planning and construction phases of this project.
This development is happening alongside several other important projects in Balaclava. Council is designing a new streetscape plan for Carlisle Street to improve public amenity. We have developed an Urban Forest Plan to increase tree canopy and we are creating more parks and green spaces. The St Kilda Library is on the cards for revitalisation. And as the ward Councillor, I am advocating for more recreation and multipurpose spaces—such as the St Kilda Primary School Hall and a positive resolution to the PCYC situation.
Together, these projects are transformational. While the changes and transition will be challenging in the short term on balance they will help make Balaclava a vibrant, welcoming neighbourhood for many decades to come.
