By Tate Papworth
Controversial plans to build 72 townhouses on the former Keilor Park Primary School site have been scrapped.
The site will now be sold as 28 individual suburban residential blocks by Development Victoria.
The original proposal drew the ire of the local community, which packed out two public information sessions in July last year.
The community cited a number of concerns surrounding the proposal including traffic conditions and the proposal’s ability to tie in with the character of the community.
Residents lodged a formal petition against the proposal with the Brimbank council during its August meeting, which had 404 signatories.
Community sentiment against the proposal was so strong that member for Niddrie Ben Carroll was forced to step in.
Mr Carroll wrote to the then Minister for Major Projects Jacinta Allen requesting the project be reviewed.
Mr Carroll welcomed the new proposal.
“I shared many locals’ concerns about the overall size of the original proposal,” Mr Carroll said.
“As someone who grew up in the adjacent suburb of Airport West, I appreciate what a close-knit and proud community Keilor Park is.
“This new proposal keeps with the character of the community and will provide the opportunity for people to build their dream home and family life in Keilor Park.”
However Stop Keilor Park Development chair James Gevergizian said it wasn’t a satisfying outcome.
“We needed facilities for the community. At the moment if you look around Keilor Park, we don’t have many. We’d hoped for a small development with a small facility for the community.”
Keilor Park Primary School closed in 2008. The site was then zoned from Public Use (Education) to Neighbourhood Residential and purchased by Development Victoria to develop housing.
