By Dora Houpis
An Albion residents’ group has described a proposed flyover road near the iconic John Darling flour mill as part of the airport rail project as being like “a stake through the heart of Sunshine and Albion.”
And the group has called on Heritage Victoria to defer or refuse the current proposal.
As part of the $10-billion Melbourne Airport Rail link, the state government is proposing a large flyover over Ballarat Road and Albion Station near the heritage-listed John Darling flour mill building, at 74 Sydney Street, Albion.
Albion and Ardeer Community Club president Neil Head told Star Weekly the community supported the Melbourne Airport Rail project but the proposed flyover near the mill was “ill advised” as there was already a flyover at Ballarat Road over the rail line.
“It’s a flyover over the flyover,” he said.
Mr Head said the proposed flyover would increase congestion around the mill as a link to nearby Talmage Street would increase traffic. Talmage Street runs parallel to the railway line.
He said the group also didn’t want more car parking in the area between the mill and Albion Station.
Mr Head slammed the proposal in his submission to Heritage Victoria.
“Our much-loved heritage mill seems to have been disregarded in the haste of this project to link the airport to rail by the quickest and cheapest construction means available, despite extensive downsides to the local communities through which it will pass,” Mr Head wrote.
“Locally, it is described as: ‘A stake through the heart of Sunshine and Albion’.”
Mr Head’s submission also outlined that vibrations while building the flyover and then when the train ran would further impact on the building’s heritage.
Brimbank council and local groups like the Sunshine and District Historical Society also wrote letters to Heritage Victoria opposing the proposal.
The mill opened in 1926. The words “John Darling & Son” remains in large, white lettering on the building facade.
