By Charlene Gatt
MARIBYRNONG residents are up in arms over a planning application for a 140-seat licensed café along the Maribyrnong riverbank.
Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley members and Alan Ross from the Maribyrnong Residents Association fear the development, if approved, would spawn overdevelopment of the riverbank.
The planning application by Castlewell Pty Ltd proposes to demolish the existing Blackbird Cruises office and moorings on Maribyrnong St for the construction of a 140-seat teahouse and public and private moorings.
The proposed teahouse will be set back 3.6 metres from the existing disused railway line and will include a decked walkway that will extend beyond the riverbank.
It will have a “butterfly” roof form with vaulted ceilings, large areas of floor to ceiling glazing and sliding walls and doors that open out onto the deck area, which will seat 32.
It will run from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week. No live entertainment or music has been proposed for the venue.
The jetty includes 15-berth private moorings, 10-berth public moorings and a new ticket office and mooring for Blackbird Cruises, which has been operating tours along the Maribyrnong River for over 30 years.
