They say to change is to improve, but the residents of the Bayside suburb of Hampton may not quite echo that perspective as their heritage-rich streets become overrun with revenue-reaping apartment installations, an expensive wonder for young Melburnians suffering from the current housing and cost of living crisis.
In the past five years alone, Hampton Street, a strip once bustling with shops, cafes and foot traffic, has seen an unprecedented surge in new apartment blocks and building sites.
Lowe Living and Balmain&Co are just two of the countless developers eager to cash in on the coveted 3188 postcode’s high market value.
Hampton Hill, a development just down the road from two local primary schools, has sold over 70% of its property for an unattainable price in the eyes of the key rental demographic aged 18-35 years old.
Offering both one and two-bedroom apartments, these properties range from around $1.5 million to $3 million, contributing no relief to the 1.6% rental vacancy rate in Melbourne.
Having lived and raised a family in Hampton for the past two decades, longtime resident Tarsha Meehan said the prospect of her son, 23, and daughter, 20, purchasing a property in the community is now “impossible”.
“We’ve got children that will be growing up in this area and are hopeful of wanting to stay here, but with the price brackets as high as they are, that’s going to be impossible,” she said.
Disapproving of not only the visual element of these concrete jungles but also the impact these building sites are having on day-to-day life, the residents of the seaside town have taken matters into their own hands in the form of a petition.
The petition titled: “Please help save our heritage and neighbourhood character in Hampton and Sandringham!”, seeks council intervention to save Hampton’s “iconic Edwardian and early 20th century homes and their gardens of mature trees”.
“Hampton has been renowned for its beautiful period homes and unfortunately we’re seeing many of those being bulldozed at present and replaced by these large infrastructures,” Mrs Meehan said.
“We really need to think about what’s being built around the area and council need to give thought to that as well.
“Not only is it impacting throughout our suburb, it’s also through the main street, we’re finding major apartment blocks overhanging the main street and impeding on not only light, but that personal space as well.”
The petition, including more information on the community’s message, can be found via this link: https://www.change.org/p/please-help-save-our-heritage-and-neighbourhood-character-in-hampton-and-sandringham.
