By Benjamin Millar
Melbourne Victory football club and Maribyrnong Council have distanced themselves from architectural designs and a fly-through video of a proposed grandstand and soccer field at Footscray Park.
The website of Melbourne architecture firm Katz Architecture included design concepts for the project featuring a series of images and a link to a video, uploaded in April, all of which was removed on Thursday following questions from Star Weekly and after being shared on social media by opponents of the project.
While Melbourne Victory says it has engaged consultants to assist with preliminary concept designs, it also says Katz Architecture is not one of these consultants.
Under the heading of “Inspiring Football Stars of Tomorrow”, the webpage listed Melbourne Victory, Maribyrnong City Council, Victoria University and Maribyrnong College as the project’s clients.
“This is a project of national significance. It should encourage the growth of football at all levels and in so doing generate positive social and community outcomes,” it stated.
“Illustrated below are diagrams that demonstrate our design approach, resolving client brief requirements and tailoring to the specific site opportunities in a way that highlights its significant status as a national sports academy. Several options are considered before arriving at the best solution.”
Opponents of the project seized on the designs to suggest Melbourne Victory were closer to tendering for construction of the project than they had admitted.
They argue that the Council had misled the community when it stated that the council has not given any permission, indication or encouragement to invite to tender for construction or development work in relation to the proposal.
A spokesman for Melbourne Victory said the Katz Architecture website’s suggestion that the project was out to tender was incorrect.
“Katz Architecture is not involved with nor have they been engaged by MVFC to undertake any work on the academy and community facility,” he said.
“Melbourne Victory has engaged some consultants to assist with preliminary concept designs for the planning of the Project, but Katz Architecture is not one of these consultants.
“No tender documents have gone out to construction companies for the build, this won’t occur until the master plan is approved.”
Maribyrnong Council director of planning services Nigel Higgins said a request for tender was released by Melbourne Victory FC Academy Limited for the provision of design team services for the academy.
“Maribyrnong City Council is not the client listed on the tender documents.”
Mr Higgins said it is not uncommon for agencies to use architects to develop concepts and indicative costings for a proposed development as part of their due diligence.
“We supported Melbourne Victory proving up the feasibility for the proposal at Footscray Park, whether it was geotech, turf/lighting expertise, architects or cost planners,” he said.
“Approvals have not been given for the project to proceed and are required prior to any works occurring or not. We always cautioned expenditure without Council confirming its final position.”
Katz Architecture told Star Weekly on Thursday that it did not wish to comment, later taking down the webpage and a video which had been posted to YouTube in April.
Council is due to make its decision on the proposal next Tuesday night.
