Preston's Anti Green Spaces

I'm seriously worried about what's going on in Preston with regard to development, and wonder just how appropriate it is. The Darebin Urban Renewal Strategy
for High Street and Plenty Road mentions green space on one or two occasions, but only in saying it would be an asset for residents to be situated near one! The Junction Integrated Development Plan is much the same.

There are already limited park amenities in this area and, with the exception of Adams Reserve, the next closest park facility is GH Mott Reserve, which now has a small kids' playground but is essentially a soccer field.

100 Plenty Road, Preston

100 Plenty Road, Preston

This medium density building is the BEST example of greenery of any other developments to date, and that in itself is pretty alarming. The developers apparently aren't required by law to provide garden areas, either within the complexes or in front of the building.

78 Plenty Road, Preston

17 more new medium to high rise building developments in progress, means over 800 new residents. The 7,9 and 11 story buildings will overshadow homes and backyards, reducing the productivity of suburban gardens and increasing electricity use.

Everyone appreciates that development is a necessary evil in cities; to reduce urban sprawl and make best use of limited space; but it does all appear to be based on a short term plan. Eventually every site that once had a whiff of industry about it, on High Street and Plenty Road, will become high density housing.

Taking a look at what medium to high rise buildings currently exist in Preston, the future looks seriously grim. They are boxy grey monsters which loom ominously above the streetscape, with little or no garden area to speak of. They generally tend to open directly to the street and provide nary a stick of greenery.

This high rise was the pathetic runner-up in the "best garden out front competition". Roughly seven square meters of native grass on scoria.(This was once the site of Watson & Paterson's Bacon Factory, later Otto Worth)

How anyone could imagine that the existing green space can possibly cater to the new influx of Preston dwellers has me scratching my head.

I would have thought that in 2013; with the world somewhat across the notion of global warming; our need to instigate planning changes with the environment in mind was obvious.