The Block feud has deepened amid claims that the show’s top producer is parking his $500,000 Porsche on the street after Channel Nine sent out a “justice” letter asking locals to move their cars.
A concerned resident claims that the show’s creator and executive producer, Julian Cress, parks his 911 Turbo S – with creepy personalized number plates – “wherever he pleases.”
It comes as angry locals claim they are effectively being driven out of their neighborhoods by traders and producers who have converged on the five classic brick houses on Charming St, in Melbourne’s Hampton East.
Some residents were angry when Channel Nine asked them to move their cars on Saturdays so that a 1950s commercial for the popular reality TV show could be filmed.
‘The Channel Nine producers who handled it were nothing short of a joke,” said one resident.
“He literally told residents to move our cars, but he could park wherever he wanted.”
The Block creator and executive producer Julian Cress under fire for parking his $500,000 Porsche 911 Turbo S on the street
Traders and manufacturers have converged on the five classic brick houses in Charming St
Scott Cam (left), host of The Block, and Shelley Craft filmed an advertisement in Charming Street last weekend. Residents received a letter asking them to move their car so that filming could take place
Daily Mail Australia visited the latest construction site for the reality TV juggernaut on Monday.
Most neighbors seemed generally satisfied with the network’s dealings with them, But others are not so lucky, and have concern has been expressed that the street is in danger of losing its charm altogether.
One resident, who declined to be named, said they found the crafts and staff working at the site intimidating.
“Last Wednesday, when I came home from work, I was approached by three men demanding me to move my car in front of my house (my legal right),” the resident stated.
“They literally look at you dead when you park on the street and can be quite intimidating.”
Julian Cress is accused of parking his half-million dollar sports car on the street
A resident claims complaints to Channel Nine are being ignored
Leonor Gonzalez (pictured) fears the project will change the dynamics of the street.
Meanwhile, the resident said the show’s top producer is allowed to park his expensive sports car in the construction zone while telling residents to move our cars – “which he has no legal right to.”
It is clear that Channel Nine executives work from at least two rental properties directly across the street from ‘The Block’ site.
Around the corner on King Street, another resident told Daily Mail Australia that artisans park their trucks wherever they want.
The resident provided multiple images of vehicles parked on the median directly in front of a fire hydrant.
“One side of our road is all day parking, the other side is 2 hour parking which their team continues to ignore,” the King Street resident told Daily Mail Australia.
Tradies working on The Block parked right in front of a fire hydrant around the corner from the construction site
Channel Nine was criticized after sending a ‘just’ letter to residents asking them to move their cars so they can shoot a commercial for ‘The Block’
“We have reported it to the council and have had several conversations with the production team, who have advised that they have not been able to arrange parking for their team.”
The resident accused the Nine staff and its crafts of repeatedly breaking the law.
“The main issue I have with them is their utter disregard for the safety of our street and the constant allowing their team to park in front of our street’s fire hydrant, which is illegal under Vicroads law,” the resident stated. .
“I have asked several times to stop this and have reported it to our municipality twice, but it persists.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted both Channel Nine and Bayside Council for comment.
Residents allege Channel Nine employees park illegally around The Block building site
A tradie dumps rubbish in a dumpster outside The Block construction site.
On Charming Street, residents claimed they had been dealing with production issues since January.
“The (production manager) and Julian Cress promised us that the trades would be parked ‘off-site, away from the area’, but they are filling the streets around Charming Street,” one resident said.
“You only have to look at the four ‘Block Vans’ parked on Oswald Thomas Ave and all the tradies park on King Street…you don’t understand how rude and lawful they all are.”
With pre-film preparations underway on blocks ranging from 575m² to 703m², the site is expected to remain a flurry of activity for at least the next three months.
The new season of ‘The Block’ will be filmed in houses 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 on Charming Street.
They were snapped up by MicJoy Pty Ltd, a company owned by Nine, in separate off-market deals for a whopping $14.3 million.
The most expensive of the bunch, 20 Charming St, cost a whopping $3.5 million when it was purchased last July.
Only one of the five purchased properties along the row of houses at numbers 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 has two bedrooms. The other four have three to four bedrooms.
Residents along King Street, near The Block, have had enough of workers parking precariously along their street
In addition to traffic complaints, some residents told Daily Mail Australia they fear the development will change the dynamics of the street forever.
Leonor Gonzalez moved to Kingston Street – about 6 miles further southeast – to enjoy the quiet life of Charming Street.
When approached by Daily Mail Australia on Monday, she had no idea what ‘The Block’ was and didn’t really care.
“It hasn’t affected me much…they manage traffic really well so it’s not a big deal,” Ms. Gonzalez said. “But I don’t think it’s good for the street.”
Like many of her neighbors, Mrs. Gonzalez was drawn to the street for its quiet and unassuming people.
It loses its charm. It’s not charming anymore,” said Ms. Gonzalez.
‘All the houses are as they were when they started and they have beautiful gardens… it will be a different street. We’re getting more traffic. Where will all the cars be?’
Ms Gonzalez said she and her neighbors fear the street is on the verge of losing its “50s charm” and will lead to more extreme renovations.
Residents are also concerned about who will move into the neighborhood once the homes have been sold.
“A lot of people here are like me. Older people… it’s going to change,” said Ms. Gonzalez.