Anatomy of DFP (State Government’s Development Facilitation Program) Planning Permit fast track / 6
Anatomy of DFP Planning Permit fast tracked for James Packer’s 18 storey tower proposal for Kew Junction – Objection 8 ; Kew Junction is NOT a scalable Transport Hub.
Who shall we hold responsible and accountable for the permanent outcomes to the neighbourhood and residents from the issuing of the DFP Planning Permit ?
Continuing to build our case to escalate.
“As part of the Victorian Government’s Train and Tram Zone Activity Centres Program, we’re planning for Kew Junction, helping to guide development in the area over the coming decades.
This activity centre provides access to public transport, community facilities, and crucial services, making it an ideal location to create opportunities for more housing, jobs, long-term growth and connections for communities.
We’ve heard from the community and know how important the heritage and history of the area is. These plans do not propose to change existing heritage overlays, ensuring the unique qualities of the area are maintained, while responding to the need for more homes for more Victorians.
Kew Junction is widely recognized as a major TRAFFIC BLACK SPOT and one of Melbourne's most hazardous intersections ( multiple Police EyeWatch / Insurance Company / Newspaper investigations ).
It forces cars, commercial trucks, two major tram lines, bus routes, cyclists, and pedestrians to converge in a highly compressed area.
Local Victoria Police data frequently identifies Kew Junction as Boroondara's top hotspot for injury-producing collisions. Data points to Tuesday mornings around 7:00 AM as a peak period for crashes at this location.
Confusing Layout: Because it is an irregular five-way layout managed by a complex array of traffic lights, drivers often face lane confusion, blind spots, and sudden braking, which leads to frequent sideswipes and rear-end accidents.
We were very excited to see the old Leo’s Supermarket area ( bottom of our one-way street)revamped with housing, a new Supermarket, shops, restaurants, open space - brilliant !
· And then – James Packer with a 4 towers = 1 x18 storeys, 1 x 14 storeys & 2 x 4 storeys over 6000sqm making it a mega imposing block
· 194 dwellings / 400 new bedrooms, and only
· 419 car park spaces for all the new residents, the Supermarket and 18 new shops.
= further exacerbate a traffic and congestion hazardous Kew Junction.
From the Permit Application that we the residents ( 30 of us in our Brougham Street group) and the Council all read:
Developer Traffic Survey was done over 2 days on a Saturday and Sunday in August 2025, using 194 dwellings in their calculations not all the new residents in a bedroom and SO “ projected daily traffic generation of 970 movements” AND to an average of 1.6 vehicles being generated each minute in a peak hour to the network”. That is a big number.
What is the real number and impact when you add the traffic to and from the new Supermarket and the new Shops ?
From this the developer detailed to the State Government and our Council “ “It is considered the proposal will not have a negative impact on the surrounding road network.”
“The number of additional movements predicted in Princess Street that would be transferred to the Brougham Street exit and have not raised concerns.”
Specifically, it is considered reasonable and logical to require the Transport Impact Assessment report REQUIRED 6 MONTHS AFTER OCCUPATION, to also consider the impacts of the left in/left out/right in only requirement at the primary Princess Street access. That way, any issues can be rectified. “
These cannot be serious statements - and yet they are published.
Kew Junction as a public transport network – we have no trains.
The Trams and buses are already full.
There is no wheelchair /disabled /elderly/ mums with prams access to the bus or tram - you have to walk onto the road into the traffic to get onto them.
This is not about to change and made safer any time soon.
And then there is narrow one-way Brougham Street – 5.2 metres wide with resident car parking on one side.
The new traffic generated from this site will pour into this already congested traffic network. A network and geography that is suddenly not going to get bigger to accommodate all these people and their movements and their car movements.
The public transport network is not going to suddenly expand to accommodate the extra movements.
To Boroondara Council on July 20th – told that there is not one extra cent in the State Budget for projects like Kew Village.
Not one extra cent to help with the infrastructure and services needed to accommodate all the new residents and shoppers. Not one extra cent to support extra public transport or roads infrastructure.
Let’s add the old VicRoads site (60 Denmark Street) project ( October 19th ) – 9 towers = 3 X 10 storeys + 3 X 12 storeys + 1 X 14 storeys + 2 X 16 for 630 new dwellings and 579 car spaces.
More residents and visitors and shoppers to pour into Kew Junction.
Fix the potholes on Denmark Street, would be helpful start.
The Kew Village developer to say” EXCELLENT CONDITIONS’ NOW for Kew Junction - cannot be a serious statement. NEGLIGENCE.
Conditions are not “excellent’ and knowing this, there will be no real review of the traffic for Brougham Street or the risks for the arterial network. NEGLIGENCE.
AND a recommendation that a traffic assessment to be done by the developer 6 months post build is beyond belief and cannot be accepted. NEGLIGENCE.
We have asked for a ‘real’ traffic assessment from the beginning of this process ( April 5th ) and all the way through – this State Government and the James Packer backed consortium, have refused.
Our Council ?
CR Sophie Torney is Our Ward Councillor responsible for oversight of the Kew Village Permit Application – where is her traffic review to ensure we are not in harm’s way ?
· CR SOPHIE TORNEY put forth the motion at Council on April 20th after we all had spoken, pleading for support, that the development proceeds with the Town Planners’ SUGGESTIONS.
· Our Council did not ‘battle for its residents’. Our Council made a ‘submission’ to the State Government; they did not OBJECT.
Boroondara Bulletin June/July page 4 : Planning update:4 towers approved for supermarket site “ 18 storeys for one of the towers exceeds the Vic Gov’s own height guidelines of 16 storeys “ and “ What are the positives”.
WOEFUL
I was so hopeful that our Council was actually concerned about us, the residents when I read“ on July 14th Boroondara seeks judicial review on Ministerial planning permit.– but absolutely NOT.
Please read the full submission by our Council for yourselves:
· height of 18 storeys, exceeding the government’s own height controls
BUT Yes to 16 storeys not to the 18 storeys proposed
· “Changes to council owned/operated land not consented to”
Council owned Land Use – yep, the Car Park and the parking $$ attached
April 20th at Council, Council Planner stated that the State Government can take the land into to the development.
July 15th Sophie Torney makes it about herself :’ I support this action”
This is JUST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE & NO ACTION for residents.
Kew Junction is NOT a scalable Transport Hub; “As part of the Victorian Government’s Train and Tram Zone Activity Centres Program, we’re planning for Kew Junction, helping to guide development in the area over the coming decades. With proper planning and safety, I believe is the minimum requirement.
Do not waste your vote, vote for someone who can make change happen, who will have decision making power.
Do not waste your vote on people who do not stand up for their residents or what these projects will do to our environment.
CR Sophie Torney is our Ward Councillor – no strategic influence over any outcomes for us in Kew Junction. Do not waste your vote at the State Level.
As CR Sophie Torney said in her flyer to us in the mail box on October 20th ( Not a single attempt at communication or consultation to the 30 of us in our objector’s group from April 5th) “ I oppose the DFP…. And I will vote to remove it “ Vote with whom, the Liberal Party ?
CR Sophie Torney is our Ward Councillor – no strategic influence over any outcomes for us in Kew Junction.
As Premier, Jess Wilson will “tear up” the DFP & these housing towers’ strategy and restore our democratic planning rights