Former Liberal politician Clem Newton-Brown establishes Whitemark Property & Planning consultancy

Following his narrow loss at the recent Victorian state election, Clem Newton-Brown has launched a new property consultancy, pushing through difficult planning applications.

He was a former planning barrister before winning the marginal seat of Prahran for the Liberal Party. Gracious in defeat, Clem Newton-Brown lost to the Greens, who he will no doubt continue to battle with on planning issues.

Whitemark Property and Planning offers to maximise land owner's value by reviewing the potential at the beginning of the planning process, all the way through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

"Planning does not need to be confrontational and much can be done to get sensible development permits through with community support and without the angst and uncertainty of VCAT appeals," Newton-Brown said.

He has been pro-actively suggesting and reviewing sites, including a dual apartment block on Clara Street in South Yarra.

"This site has attracted a lot of developer interest due to its large open air carpark at the rear and three street frontages," he noted.

"However, it is located in the Neighbourhood Residential zone and is incapable of further development, either to the rear or on top.

"The only options for adding value appear to be landscaping and creating private open space for ground floor tenants and attaching balconies for the upper levels."

There's also some comments he had made on a South Melbourne development site at 201-209 Ferrars Street.

"This is a really interesting opportunity for an investor with some vision," he said.

"It is located in the Commercial 1 zone and the IM is suggesting 3 commercial tenancies and 23 apartments over three levels above.

"I think this is quite conservative given the site is in the transition zone between Fishermans Bend and the older residential areas of South Melbourne.

"It is far enough away from the residential areas for greater height to not have an impact on existing neighbours.

"Due to the long and skinny site the units would have great internal amenity," he noted adding the agent was quoting $2.5 plus.

Newton-Brown has personal expertise having developed the Ponyfish Island cafe on a flood-prone island set under the Southgate footbridge.

Then in 2008, he offloaded a development-sensitive site on the banks of the Yarra River in Toorak with a permit.