THE former landfill site on Old Dandenong Road in Heatherton looks destined to become the future home of train stabling for the suburban rail loop.
Kingston Council had made queries into whether other sites would be considered for stabling by the state government. It has since confirmed to council that only the Heatherton site will be assessed as part of the Environment Effects Statement hearings.
Kingston Council had earmarked the site at 91-185 Kingston Road for a new regional sporting facility. The move to put train stabling on the Delta site in Heatherton has sparked protests and uproar (“Stabling plans spark protest”, The News, 17/3/21).
It is understood that the state government looked at other sites, but did not proceed with them due to size and constructability issues. The state government confirmed the Heatherton Delta landfill site as its preferred location for stabling in December last year.
Government spokeswoman Hayley Bester told The News “among all of the various options considered, the Heatherton location requires the least acquisition of homes and businesses – and it will deliver 200 local jobs.”
“We’ve gathered a lot of feedback from local residents in recent months and will be holding drop-in community information sessions across the project, including in Heatherton, from this weekend,” she said. “Suburban Rail Loop needs train stabling to run a turn-up-go network – we will continue working with the community to minimise its potential impact, including screening, landscaping and enhancing some of the surrounding reserves.”
In a statement, Kingston Council said it would make a submission during the EES process “on behalf of the community”
“Council has assembled a high-calibre team of legal, environmental and planning consultant experts to inform and support our advocacy through the EES process on behalf of the community,” the statement read. “This includes the appointment of technical experts to assist council in the fields of traffic and transport, urban design, landscape architecture, arboriculture, ecology, noise and vibration, groundwater, and ground movement.”
Community information sessions about the suburban rail loop project are expected to be held between Cheltenham and Box Hill from this weekend. Heatherton Christian College will host at least one session.
Kingston councillor Hadi Saab said “the Victorian government’s decision to proceed with the Delta site will have a significant impact on the surrounding communities as well as on our long-held vision for the Sandbelt Open Space Chain of Parks. Now we have been told only one site is to be presented at EES, we will be working hard to make sure all the potential impacts of this decision are presented through the process as well.”
Kingston Council has listed “permanent noise as a result of the train stabling, including years of construction noise and then ongoing 24/7 train stabling and maintenance noise, dust, dirt, and vibrations during the construction phase, around the clock light from the stabling yard to dramatically reduce liveability of the area, the use of Kingston’s Green Wedge for industrial purposes, the impact on the future of the Sandbelt Open Space Chain of Parks project, the loss of a site long earmarked for an important regional sportsground, and the permanent closure of Old Dandenong Road between Heatherton Road and the Henry Street Trail” as its concerns about the proposal.
When complete, the suburban rail loop will link every major rail line from Frankston to Werribee.
Firsts published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 23 June 2021
