Brightonians strolling down Church Street to do a spot of shopping at the women’s leather jacket clearance at Siricco before fetching the grandchildren from school on Wednesday had to contend with intruders in their midst.

Reporters had gathered to ask about the Labor government greenlighting high-rise apartments that could turn their famously exclusive village into, as one local put it, the Gold Coast.

Charlotte Warke is opposed to state government development plans in Brighton. Credit: Paul Jeffers

Interest in the views of locals was prompted by the release of draft maps showing proposed state government planning changes allowing residential towers up to 12 storeys tall on Church Street, Brighton, Bay Street in North Brighton, and up to 16 storeys in nearby Hampton.

The reaction

See Full Page