More than 60 people attended a meeting on January 24 to discuss the Coburg Structure Plan. This plan, put forward by the Moreland City Council, will allow the construction of 10-storey buildings adjacent to existing homes in Coburg, an inner-northern Melbourne suburb.
The meeting was called by newly elected Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton, whose electorate includes Coburg. Bolton told the meeting that most residents she had spoken to did not know about the plan.
Residents at the meeting raised a range of concerns about the plan, including lack of sufficient open space, overshadowing of houses by tall buildings, inadequate public transport, and parking and traffic management issues.
Bolton said she intended to move at the next council meeting for an extension of time for public comment on the plan, and for town hall meetings to be convened by the council to enable residents to discuss it.
The meeting supported these proposals, and decided to set up a group called Save Coburg. A coordinating committee was formed, and people volunteered for various tasks.
The meeting decided to hold a protest at the next council meeting, to be held at Coburg Town Hall on February 13.