East Clifton Hill Residents Incorporated (No A0114110I)
Our group of East Clifton Hill residents agreed to formally incorporate at a meeting on Monday 4 October 2021. ‘East Clifton Hill Residents Incorporated (No A0114110I)’ (“ECHRI” ) was formed on 5 October 2021.
‘East Clifton Hill Residents Incorporated (No A0114110I)’ is a not-for-profit association and has adopted the Model Rules for Incorporated Associations. The minutes of the meeting of 4 October can be found here and include details of our objectives.
To date, EHCRI has pursued two planning related projects – saving the Royal Hotel building and moderating the proposal for development by the owner of the Dirty Apron cafe site. (The operators of the cafe are not involved)
The Royal Hotel, 35-41 Spensley Street, Clifton Hill
ECHRI was formed in 2021 to support the many objectors to the proposal to demolish the Royal Hotel, retaining only the northern and eastern facades. Before the City of Yarra (CoY) made their determination about the planning permit application, the proponent for the Royal Hotel development elected to take the application directly to VCAT. VCAT wrote to all objectors and 55 objectors have become parties to proceedings. The CoY Planning Decision Committee (PDC) rejected the application in October 2021. Initial hearings at VCAT occurred in March 2022, and resumed in September 2022. Maddocks lawyers were hired by the CoY, and argued against the proposed development of the Royal Hotel in line with the CoY PDC decision. ECHRI recruited several experts in the fields of planning and heritage, and supported the 55 parties at the hearing. The hearing reconvened via Zoom on 23 September 2022, and continued on 26-29 September and 3-7 October 2022.
The Royal Hotel decision was handed down on 28th April 2023. The full decision provides extensive discussion on the reasons why VCAT upheld the decision of the City of Yarra to refuse the planning permit, and can be viewed at The VCAT Decision
The Dirty Apron Cafe site, 47-49 Ramsden Street, Clifton Hill
ECHRI supported the 159 objectors to this development proposal. The CoY PDC imposed significant conditions on the proposal including removing the third floor (fourth level) of the proposed development. The applicant took the decision to VCAT, which required extensive modifications to the proposal.
If you wish to assist with these projects, or more broadly to assist ECHRI in its efforts to ensure our local heritage and environmental values are protected, please join our community group calls by emailing ECHRI Secretary David Levin at dlevin@vicbar.com.au
Save our Royal Hotel 