THE state government will investigate new opportunities for open space to replace the planned chain of parks site in Heatherton, which is now going to be used for train stabling.
An independent advisory committee has produced a report on the environmental effects of the eastern section of the planned suburban rail loop. The state government has assessed the findings of the report and chosen to continue with the project.
Suburban Rail Loop East is the planned 26 kilometre stretch of rail between a new Cheltenham Station and Box Hill. The completed suburban rail loop is expected to connect every major rail line to the airport.
To complete SRL East, the state government will use public land at Sir William Fry Reserve in Cheltenham and proposed open space at the Delta landfill site in Heatherton. The Heatherton site was proposed to form part of the chain of parks project, but will now be home to train stabling. The Cheltenham land will be used for a new train station.
The advisory committee’s report read that the state government should only proceed with building train stabling at the Heatherton site “if a suitable replacement site for public open space can be found”.
“From purely a local social impact assessment, this site is not appropriate for the stabling facility. The deep-seated views of the community and Kingston is that this land has been long promised for public open space and recreational facilities as part of the chain of parks,” the IAC report read.
An assessment of the report prepared by environment minister Lily D’Ambrosio read that a plan will be formed to compensate for the use of the Heatherton site for train stabling. “I support the stabling facility in [Heatherton]. However, the loss of the potential for it to be transformed into a future open space is significant. In addition to the independent advisory committee’s recommendations, I also have recommended that the public open space management plan prepared in relation to the Heatherton stabling facility is submitted for the minister for planning’s approval,” the minister’s assessment read. “In terms of timing, the intention should be to deliver the open space prior to the operation of the stabling facility.”
The minister’s assessment also outlined that the loss of open space at Sir William Fry Reserve “is a significant impact that can be mitigated by the provision of replacement open space and the relocation of facilities including a skate park and basketball facility.”
Acting Kingston mayor Jenna Davey-Burns said that the Heatherton site was a “key part of the Kingston Green Wedge Plan and that finding a new solution should be a “matter of highest priority”.
“Our community for decades had been looking forward to having new open space and extensive sporting facilities on the Delta site in Kingston’s green wedge,” Davey-Burns said. “Council is keen to now see the significant promise of the chain of parks delivered. This means a fit-for purpose replacement for the 34 hectares of planned regional sporting facilities, which will be lost to the train stabling, must be urgently provided. Our community deserves access to green open spaces, which are so important for the environment and our health and wellbeing. We are glad that the government has recognised this and is committed to delivering a suitable replacement site.”
Last week the state government announced that SRL East had been given the “green light” to proceed.
After the public exhibition of SRL East’s environmental effects statement late last year, an independent advisory committee was formed to consider the impacts of the project. More than 360 submissions were made to the IAC over 39 days of public hearings.
The IAC’s report, along with the environment minister’s assessment of the findings, were published last week. The state government has elected to proceed with the project.
Early works on SRL East began in June. A business case released last year revealed that SRL East could cost up to $34.5 billion (“Big bill expected for rail loop” The News 25/8/21).
“Victorians voted for this project, that will create thousands of jobs – and it’s great to see this independent assessment give this project the green light,” suburban rail loop minister Jacinta Allan said last week. “We’re getting on with this project that will connect communities in the east and southeast and we’ll continue to work with local communities along the way.”
In response to the state government’s announcement, community group Move the Train Yard released a statement saying they would continue to advocate for the stabling to be moved elsewhere. “The community will continue to campaign for common sense to move the train yard so that Melbourne can maintain its reputation as a liveable city, that will be able to deal with climate change in the future and retain its precious green wedges, urban ecology, and agricultural areas,” the group said.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 17 August 2022