The Sunshine Precinct Masterplan has been welcomed by locals, but many have raised concerns about the project.
The state government released the plan which includes a new bus interchange as well as new station plaza and entrance, shared user paths and open space, pick up and drop off areas and intersection upgrades around the bus interchange.
The government will spend $143 million on the first stage of the masterplan as part of the Melbourne Airport Rail project.
Former Brimbank councillor and member of the Greater Sunshine Alliance John Hedditch said a lot of good work had gone into the plan and picked up on a lot of what the community had been hoping for, but there were still issues he and other community members would like to see be addressed.
The first major issue according to Hedditch is the ‘Sunshine Spurline’ project which repurposes the northern traffic lane of Hampshire Road bridge and transforms this into a pedestrian and cycle connection.
“It’s inappropriate in many ways in my view and that of others,” he said.
“It causes traffic flow issues and will cause a bottleneck at Withers Street. The council has spent 20 years trying to get traffic out of the CBD and this has the potential to create a gridlock.”
Hedditch said the decision to relocate the bus interchange was also a poor one. He said the current location next to the CBD was a better spot.
“It’s good that it’s near the station, but moving it away from the CBD and traders means people now have to cross the road to get to the bus station.
Hedditch said they were calling on the project to be reviewed and more feedback from the community and local business sector to be taken on board.
Albion and Ardeer Community Club president Neil Head is part of the Department of Transport community reference group for the masterplan.
He too said the community was happy with the commitment of the initial stage of funding for the redevelopment, but has concerns and and called for an independent expert panel review of the DoT planning for the Albion-Sunshine rail corridor,
“We wonder if the future potential to build over the railway line, and thereby re-connect the two sides of Sunshine city centre is being lost or diminished.”
