Melbourne’s Record Paradise is at risk of closure due to proposed apartment development plans.
The much-loved record store is located on Union Street, Brunswick in Melbourne’s north, just a few minutes walk from Sydney Road and live music venues Stay Gold and Howler.
According to development proposal documents, the development would include “an eight story building (with roof terrace) containing an office and 21 dwellings and a reduction of the standard car parking requirement”.
Record Paradise is two doors down from Jewell train station, which is currently undergoing redevelopment, and the new Neometro apartment development, which has been approved but is yet to commence construction.
The building, located at 15 Union Street, has been rented by Record Paradise owners Renae Maxwell and Paul Allen for eight years, and has seen in-store performances from artists including Courtney Barnett, Ron S Peno, Alex Lahey, Julia Jacklin, Amyl & The Sniffers and many more, as well as housing an extensive collection of new and used vinyl.
Maxwell and Allen bought the business in 2009 when it was located in St Kilda and had been trading since 1955.
Speaking with The Music today, Maxwell said that the first Allen and herself were made aware of the proposed development was when a Notice Of An Application For A Planning Permit was adhered to the front of the store on Friday last week.
“So Friday afternoon, I went to get a coffee and everyone was very grim in the coffee shop and they said, ‘You’re moving out’ and I said, ‘What do you mean? We’ve got two years left on our lease.’ And they said ‘haven’t you seen?’”
“I must say with Neometro doing this major development and our building being quite old, it was originally a garage to drive through, and we have two years left on our lease, so we knew that it was going to probably be over after that, that they would develop in some way this space.
“What we thought was that we’d just have control over that process, to be able to let our people know that Record Paradise is more than where it is, we’ll be moving onto the street, or you know two blocks away, don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere.”
Maxwell said she then contacted their real estate agent, who was unaware of the development plans, and that the council have advised her that there is no legal obligation for the owners of the building to notify tenants of the proposal.
Maxwell maintains they have not been advised that they need to vacate the building any sooner than their current lease end.
“That’s the whole thing, this is a reaction. We’re not getting kicked out, this is a proposal, a proposal that probably without our weight behind it would probably get knocked back by the local community. I feel, they’re solid and they have limitations. I think 21 apartments is probably beyond what people would accept with no shops and limited parking.”
As stated in the notice, council have now opened submissions for community objections regarding the development. While the document found on the Moreland City Council website advises that “The Responsible Authority will not decide on the application before: 4 April”, the notice outside Record Paradise advises the date at 6 April.
For more information on the project, or the objection process, head to the Moreland City Council website here and search for application MPS/2018/601. To find out more about Record Paradise, head here.
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