More than 50 North Sunshine residents and a state government department have urged the Brimbank council to re-think its plans to build a bridge that they say could create traffic “chaos”.
The council wants to rezone 13.1 hectares of land on St Albans Road, Sunshine – partially occupied by City West Water – from public use to residential and mixed use. It would be accessed by a new road and bridge across Stony Creek drain from Metherall Street.
However 53 North Sunshine residents from Metherall Street, Furlong Road and Camperdown Avenue have signed a petition saying the move would place school children in danger.
“The creation of the easement road and a bridge, the conversion of the reserved land into subdivision means more cars will be passing through Metherall Street, then into Camperdown Avenue, then into Furlong Road and into the freeway,” the petition stated.
“There is a primary school in the area and at the moment traffic is already bad during school days because of parents and guardians dropping off and picking up their kids. There are also kids walking from home to school and back.”
“The amount of extra traffic passing through… will definitely add chaos and put the kids in danger.”
The Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure also had “significant concerns” with the rezoning close to freight rail. “The City West Water site … has formed a land use buffer between residential areas … and the Bendigo rail and M80 Ring Road,” it said.
“The standard gauge rail corridor is just over 400 metres from the subject land and caters for significant levels of freight rail traffic. It is of a concern the amendment has not considered nor responded to key freight policies, strategies and plans.”
VicRoads said it would support a bridge crossing Stony Creek at Metherall Street which would provide “route options” for all residents but suggested a traffic assessment to address the impact of a potential subdivision.
A traffic study commissioned by the council found there were no “traffic engineering reasons” why the rezoning should not be approved.
The council voted last Tuesday night to send an amendment to the planning scheme, which would make way for the rezoning, to an independent panel.
Administrator Jane Nathan said development would involve a “big change” to the area but would provide essential pedestrian and vehicle access.
City West Water is expected to vacate the site by early July.
