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Wednesday 17 August 2022
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Chain of parks site must be replaced soon - report
Finals loom MPNFL finals are on the horizon. In the final round of Division Two, Chelsea’s finals spot was on the line. In Division One, ladder leaders Frankston YCW and second-place Mt Eliza faced off in what could be a grand final preview (pictured below). See sports page 14. Picture: Craig Barrett.
Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au THE state government will investigate new opportunities for open space to replace the planned chain of parks site in Heatherton, which is now going to be used for train stabling. An independent advisory committee has produced a report on the environmental effects of the eastern section of the planned suburban rail loop. The state government has assessed the findings of the report and chosen to continue with the project. Suburban Rail Loop East is the planned 26 kilometer stretch of rail between a new Cheltenham Station and Box Hill. The completed suburban rail loop is expected to connect every major rail line to the airport. To complete SRL East, the state government will use public land at Sir William Fry Reserve in Cheltenham and proposed open space at the Delta landfill site in Heatherton. The Heatherton site was proposed to form part of the chain of parks project, but will now be home to train stabling. The Cheltenham land will be used for a new train station. The advisory committee’s report read that the state government should only proceed with building train stabling at the Heatherton site “if a suitable replacement site for public open space can be found”. “From purely a local social impact assessment, this site is not appropriate for the stabling facility. The deepseated views of the community and Kingston is that this land has been long promised for public open space and recreational facilities as part of the chain of parks,” the IAC report read. An assessment of the report prepared by environment minister Lily D’Ambrosio read that a plan will be formed to compensate for the use of
the Heatherton site for train stabling. “I support the stabling facility in [Heatherton]. However, the loss of the potential for it to be transformed into a future open space is significant. In addition to the independent advisory committee’s recommendations, I also have recommended that the public open space management plan prepared in relation to the Heatherton stabling facility is submitted for the minister for planning’s approval,” the minister’s assessment read. “In terms of timing, the intention should be to deliver the open space prior to the operation of the stabling facility.” The minister’s assessment also outlined that the loss of open space at Sir William Fry Reserve “is a significant impact that can be mitigated by the provision of replacement open space and the relocation of facilities including a skate park and basketball facility.” Acting Kingston mayor Jenna Davey-Burns said that the Heatherton site was a “key part of the Kingston Green Wedge Plan and that finding a new solution should be a “matter of highest priority”. “Our community for decades had been looking forward to having new open space and extensive sporting facilities on the Delta site in Kingston’s green wedge,” Davey-Burns said. “Council is keen to now see the significant promise of the chain of parks delivered. This means a fit-for purpose replacement for the 34 hectares of planned regional sporting facilities, which will be lost to the train stabling, must be urgently provided. Our community deserves access to green open spaces, which are so important for the environment and our health and wellbeing. We are glad that the government has recognised this and is committed to delivering a suitable replacement site.”
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