Greater Shepparton City Council has informed The News this morning that two days of in-person submissions on a proposal to build social housing above a CBD car park will not be open to the public or media.
Council publicly advertised its intention to sell/gift the land above the Maude St, Nixon St, Edward St public car park for a social housing development and The News understands as many as 700 submissions were received.
The controversial proposal came to light at the December 15 Council meeting when the project was given in-principal support and councillors voted to advertise the intention to sell the land.
Despite the urgent need for new social housing in Shepparton, the proposal sparked vocal opposition, including from neighbouring Ace College.
Robin Knaggs from action group Residents 4 A Greater Shepparton said submitters were only advised late on Friday they couldn’t listen to other speakers.
Mr Knaggs said similar hearings over the proposed closure of Andrew Fairley Ave were public.
Council received over 1300 written submissions on Andrew Fairley Ave and heard 69 people in person at a marathon 8 hour session at Eastbank.
Historically ratepayers requesting to address council on the budget have also made their submissions at formal meetings which are public.
“It is so wrong, the whole thing stinks, the whole process isn’t transparent,” he said.
Committee members of R4GS received advice from Council this morning that the closed hearings were due to COVID.
In the email Council said the briefing session will be recorded and made publicly available on YouTube from mid-March.
The development would be four storey with the ground level returned to council after construction as a public car park.
The proposed development would provide 30 residences on the top two floors and resident parking on the second floor.
The ground level would revert back to Council controlled public parking.