Notice of intention - Sydney Road Brunswick Shopping Precinct

27 Jan 2023

At its meeting on 7 December 2022, Merri-bek City Council (Council) resolved to propose the declaration of a Special Charge (Proposed Special Charge) under section 163(1) of the Local Government 1989 (Act) for the purposes of defraying expenses to be incurred by the Council in (administratively only and subject always to the approval, direction and control of the Council) providing funds to the incorporated body known and operating as Sydney Road Brunswick Business Association Inc. (SRBA), such funds to be used for the purposes of defraying promotional, advertising, marketing and business development expenses as approved by Council and agreed to between Council and SRBA, all of which are associated with the encouragement of commerce, retail and professional activity and employment in the Sydney Road, Brunswick, Shopping Precinct (Precinct).

The Special Charge will be based on geographic criteria, having regard to the location and ownership or occupation of those rateable properties in the Precinct which are used, or reasonably capable of being used, for commercial, (including retail and professional) purposes, together with their respective tiered benefit classifications further details of which are set out below.

The Proposed Special Charge is to be declared, and will remain in force, for the period commencing on 1 July 2023 and ending on 30 June 2028.

During the period of the Special Charge Scheme (Scheme), a total amount of $1,959,650 is expected to be levied.

The land and the properties in relation to which the Scheme is to be declared is all the land and properties used or reasonably capable of being used for commercial purposes in the Precinct, being the following street addresses:

  • 29-881 Sydney Road, Brunswick (inclusive) and 30-890 (inclusive) Sydney Road, Brunswick
  • 2-8 (inclusive) Sparta Place, Brunswick
  • 2b-22 (inclusive) Tripovich Street, Brunswick
  • 1c Ballarat Street, Brunswick

 

The Proposed Special Charge will be assessed and levied on the basis of amounts calculated by reference to the capital improved value (CIV) of each property included in the Scheme (such values to be initially determined and as in force as at 1 July 2022).

 

For the first year of the Scheme (1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024), the following amounts are specified as being payable by those properties in the following tiered benefit classifications (in order to raise an amount of $391,930.00):

  • Tier 1 (CIV $0-$399,999.99) 59 properties each pay $260.00
  • Tier 2 (CIV $400,000-$599,999.99) 78 properties each pay $330.00
  • Tier 3 (CIV $600,000-$799,999.99) 74 properties each pay $445.00
  • Tier 4 (CIV $800,000-$999,999.99) 104 properties each pay $585.00
  • Tier 5 (CIV $1,000,000-$1,999,999) 204 properties each pay $670.00
  • Tier 6 (CIV $2,000,000-$2,999,999) 39 properties each pay $1,100.00
  • Tier 7 (CIV $3,000,000-3,999,999) 20 properties each pay $1,500.00
  • Tier 8 (CIV $4,000,000 plus) 25 properties each pay $1,900.00.

 

For all consecutive years of the Scheme, the Proposed Special Charge payable in respect of the properties in each of the above tiered benefit classifications will remain unchanged.

The properties included in the Scheme will otherwise be subject to general revaluations and supplementary valuations on the same cycle as Council general rates and charges.

The Special Charge will be levied by Council sending a notice to the persons who are liable to pay the Special Charge which will require that the Special Charge must be paid in the following manner –

  • By one annual payment to be paid in full by the due date fixed by Council in the notice which will be a date not less than 30 days after the issue of the notice; or
  • By four instalments to be paid by the dates which are fixed by Council in the

Council will consider cases of financial or other hardship and may reconsider other payment options for the Special Charge. There will be no incentives given for payment of the Special Charge before the due dates for payment.

Copies of the proposed declaration of the Special Charge and a detailed plan of the Scheme area are available to downaload or can be inspected at:

  • Merri-bek Civic Centre, 90 Bell Street, Coburg
  • Brunswick Customer Service Centre, 233 Sydney Road, Brunswick
  • Brunswick Library, corner Sydney Road and Dawson Street, Brunswick

during normal business hours for a period of at least 28 days after the publication of this notice. Council will meet on 10 May 2023 to decide whether to make the declaration.

Any person may make a submission to Council under sections 163A and 223 of the Act.

In addition, any person who will be required to pay the Proposed Special Charge to be imposed by the proposed declaration, whether an owner or an occupier of a property included in the Scheme, has the right to object to the proposed declaration, and may also make a written objection to the Council under 163B of the Act. An occupier is entitled to exercise the right of objection if they submit documentary evidence with the objection which shows that it is a condition of the lease under which the person is an occupier that the occupier is to pay the Special Charge.

Written submissions to be submitted to Council under section 223 of the Act and/or written objections to be lodged with Council under section 163B of the Act must be received by Council by 5pm on Monday 6 March 2023.

Submissions and/or objections must be in writing and addressed and sent by mail or email to –

Manager City Strategy and Economy
Merri-bek City Council, Locked Bag 10
BRUNSWICK VIC 3056

Email: business@merri-bek.vic.gov.au

Any person who has made a written submission under section 223 of the Act and has requested to be heard in support of their written submission is entitled to appear in person or online (subject to COVID-19 restrictions at the time) or to be represented by a person specified in the submission before the Council (or a Committee of Council appointed by Council) under section 223 of the Act, the day, time and place of which will be advised in writing.

 

Any person making a written submission under section 223 of the Act is advised that Council is not required to make available for public inspection submissions received in accordance with section 223 of the Act. Accordingly, all submissions and personal information in submissions will be handled as authorised or required by law, including under the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.

Council will consider any written submissions and take into account any objections in accordance with sections 163A, 163B and 223 of the Act.

Any person requiring further information concerning the proposed declaration of the Special Charge or the Scheme should contact the Economic Development Team on 8311 4131 or email business@merri-bek.vic.gov.au