By Tate Papworth
A proposal to create a new suburb in North Sunshine has been knocked back by Brimbank council.
Residents of the River Valley estate tabled a petition with 102 signatures at the council’s March meeting, requesting the estate be recognised as a new suburb.
The council was told the name River Valley reflected the historical landscape of the location. However, council officers did not consider that sufficient to overcome the name’s commercial connections.
A similar proposal was put to the council in September, 2009. The council decided not to rename the estate after officers cited a number of issues.
At that time, the council resolved to undertake community consultation and invited submissions.
The proposal received 42 responses, 31 of which were considered to be objections and council decided not to approve the proposal.
The council noted in its report that the creation of a new suburb could be a divisive issue for the community.
The 2018 proposal was rejected on the basis that it is a repeat naming request.
The council’s naming policy states that repeat naming requests may be declined if the council has previously made a decision, as a naming authority, on the same matter.
The council also had concerns the proposal didn’t meet naming rules which state that a place should not be named after estate names that are solely commercial in nature.
