By NTSC Alliance  (No to swingers club alliance)

Residents have lodged a submission to VCAT opposing the recent approval by the City of Port Phillip Council for the establishment of a licensed 200-person sex on premises venue at 427 City Road, South Melbourne.

This location is entirely inappropriate for such a venue, given its proximity to residential areas, schools, and family-oriented businesses. Despite numerous objections from residents and business owners, the Council has granted a permit that disregards the character and values of our neighbourhood and what the area should try to aspire to in the future.

Thanks to the overwhelming support from the local community, the petition organised by a group of affected businesses and residents has now accumulated over 1,200 signatures. This is a clear demonstration of the strong opposition to the Council's approval of this venue.

https://www.change.org/notoswingersclub

https://www.gofundme.com/f/notoswingersclub

https://notoswingersclub.blogspot.com/

Key concerns that remain unresolved include:

• Incompatibility with the area’s character: The proposed venue is fundamentally at odds with the residential and community-focused nature of South Melbourne and Montague.
• Parking inadequacies: The venue offers no on-site parking, and Council's decision to allocate two on-street car spaces for the operator disregards the needs of local businesses.
• Lack of a waste management plan: The absence of a proper waste management plan poses potential health and environmental risks.
• Excessive patron capacity: Council’s decision to approve a 200-person venue, despite recommendations from the Traffic Department to cap it at 150, raises concerns about overcrowding and increased traffic congestion.
• Safety and amenity concerns: Residents and business owners fear the negative impact on public safety and local amenity, both during the day and at night.
• Future directions: What will prevent a proliferation of similar businesses being established in the area? Is this really Council’s vision for this area? It’s certainly not what the local community want.

Our community feels that the Council has failed to give proper consideration to our objections and has overlooked the long-term impact this decision will have on the area’s future.

As the local Council elections approach, this will be one of the important issues that all candidates for the new 9 ward structure being adopted by the City of Port Phillip will need to consider when preparing their policies and platforms for their constituents to consider.