Preparatory work is under way to ready former Department of Defence land in Cairnlea for development.
Over the past month Development Victoria, the government body that now owns the 38-hectare site bordered by the M80, Ballarat Road and Cairnlea Drive, has erected fencing to prevent rubbish dumping.
Soil and groundwater testing and the movement of soil stockpiles will take place over the coming months.
A letter from Development Victoria, a new entity formed by the merger of Places Victoria and Major Projects Victoria, informed nearby residents to expect heavy machinery movements on the land while preliminary site investigations were under way. Work is scheduled to take place on week days, from 7am until 6pm.
Development Victoria’s integrated housing and land general manager Peter Vlitas said the masterplan for the site was still at a very early stage.
“Community engagement and detailed design work will proceed once we have completed preliminary site investigations,” he said.
In November 2015, Places Victoria reworked its original masterplan for the land after community outrage to what residents conceived as a heavy industrial use.
Commercial development will now be confined to the southern part of the site on the corner of Ballarat Road and Cairnlea Drive.
Some mature sugar gums have been removed from the site, more are to be taken out.
Mr Vlitas said any hazardous and non-indigenous trees that are removed will be replaced with native species.
Related:
October 8, 2013: Cairnlea residents take hard line on plans
November 29, 2013: Cairnlea residents rejoice in ‘power of the people’
December 3, 2013: Cairnlea fight: Residents vow to block businesses
December 10, 2013: Cairnlea fight: Report supports loss of 300 trees
January 17, 2014: Cairnlea community to be consulted on ‘mixed-use’ project
December 9, 2015: Cairnlea masterplan to be resubmitted soon
