Lighten up, urges PCA

The Property Council of Australia wants an urgent review of planning rules that block developers and anchor tenants from displaying their branded signage on buildings.

The call was sparked by Melbourne City Council’s ban on developer Fivex reinstailling signage on it’s CBD building, Riverview House, which is under development as two medium sized, mixed-use towers.  The site is on a corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets, a precinct which will become pedestrian only once the development is complete.  Fivex is appealing against the council decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the case will be heard later this year.

“There have been technological advances in signs, but Melbourne’s planning scheme does not seem to be flexible enough to consider them appropriate,”  Property Council Victoria senior policy adviser Linda Allison said.  “Building signage is an important part of the owner-tenant lease negotiations and the policy settings must be right to attract major companies to Melbourne.  “I think the scheme is due for a refresh.  I believe the council should ask itself what it wants Melbourne to look like by night and why we should look different to other cities around the world whose nightscapes are part of their appeal.  It is time to review the current controls in light of new commercial arrangements and technological advancements”.

A spokesman for Fivex said: “We were disappointed by the council’s decision to reject a sign it had previously approved and question the grounds they refused it on.  The issue is currently subject to review by the tribunal and we will honour and respect it’s decision.”

A source familiar with the development said the council’s position would “drag the city back to the Dark Ages.  The council appears intent on making Melbourne dull and lifeless, as opposed to vibrant, lively and engaging,” said the source, who did not want to be named.

In March, a divided council rejected by eight votes to tow the Fivex application for it’s two existing, illuminated naming signs to be reinstalled once it’s mixed-use development was complete.  The 15-year permit for those signs expired this year.  At the time,  Cr Philip Le Liu, who favoured the signs, said: “I like the fact that we have corporate signage because I think it’s the fact that it’s a badge of honour for Melbourne, where we bring in international business.”

Cr Nicholas Reece said a refusal to renew permits for signs could have once put at risk signage such as Abbotsford’s Skipping Girl and the Nylex sign in Cremorne.  He said that based on council’s latest position, these signs would have struggled to get permits today.  In February, council was forced by VCAT to grant a permit allowing signage for Central Equity to be displayed at the top of a 58-storey development at 560 Lonsdale St.  VCAT gave the go-ahead for the installation of three signs measuring 3.1m by 9.07m.  The proposal was for non-bold, white aluminium lettering illuminated by LED, similar to the Fivex signs.  Melbourne council was not available for comment.

Herald Sun, realcommercial.com

1st August 2018