Tara Murray
The Sunshine precinct opportunity statement is “very simplistic” and misses several key points, according to the Albion and Ardeer Community Club.
The statement, released last week, outlines the state government’s vision and framework for the development of the Sunshine Precinct as part of the Melbourne Airport Rail.
The document identifies strengths and opportunities to inform how the community will live, work, and play in Sunshine into the future.
Albion and Ardeer Community Club has previously raised concerns about the development of the area, including the proposed rail flyover in Albion and the lack of plans to upgrade Albion station as part of the airport rail link project.
In a statement to Star Weekly, the group said it welcomed a number of aspects of the statement, but it was concerned about other parts.
“The statement is very simplistic,” the group said.
“It misses several key points in relation to heritage, residential conservation and green/stream corridors, and is at considerable variance with the council previously published ‘Vision 2050’, which was, as is well known, widely supported by the community.
“Our overarching context is that that local community strongly supports the principle of airport sail … but there is nevertheless intense community concern about the current airport rail project proposal to build a ‘rail flyover’, right over the top of the decrepit Albion station … and also about ‘watering down’ of previously announced Sunshine Superhub designs.
“Sunshine Superhub needs to have the design and facilities of a ‘destination’, not some kind of tawdry commuter ‘transit spot’.”
The club’s statement said the vision presented was very dense and vibrant, whereas the local community sees green corridors and stream-waterway enhancement, along with heritage conservation as important elements of any vision.
The group said that the Albion station is a “public disgrace” and has been” left to languish for a decades”.
“The local community seeks urgently, a ‘short, sharp, independent, eminent person review of the rail track options’, rather than have the [Department of Transport] as ‘judge and jury’ on its own plans and proposals.”
