MARIBYRNONG’S Edgewater residents fear the Western Bulldogs will appeal to the State Government to intervene on the controversial $23 million Edgewater development.

Six questions about the proposed entertainment mecca were raised in a public meeting about the Whitten Oval redevelopment last Thursday night, with many concerned the “Bulldog Hilton” will get the nod from State Planning Minister Justin Madden.

Parking and community consultation were also hot topics of discussion.

Councillor and Western Bulldogs member Catherine Cumming draped her team’s scarf across the table.

About 40 residents went to the Town Hall to voice their concerns to Maribyrnong City Council.

Greens MLC Colleen Hartland was also in attendance.

The suspicions stemmed from a Western Bulldogs decision to gain State Government approval for a Whitten Oval planning application.

The proposal was in the process of community consultation at the time Mr Madden overruled Maribyrnong City Council’s jurisdiction.

Residents Against Inappropriate Development in Maribyrnong (RAIDM) spokesperson Enzo De Fazio told the meeting he had met with Footscray MP Marsha Thomson, who said Mr Madden had “no intention of calling in the Edgewater case”.

Western Bulldogs president David Smorgon echoed the sentiment.

“No, (it’s) absolutely not on our agenda,” he said.

“I don’t know why people are trying to connect the two issues, Edgewater has not been discussed in this context.”

The council refused to grant a permit for the Edgewater proposal in May. Prizac Development and George Adams – the respective landowners and developers of 31 Edgewater Boulevard – have taken the matter to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

A hearing date has not been set.

Maidstone resident Claudine Spinner said the meeting put a spotlight on potential further issues.

“A lot of people were thinking of it purely in the context of the Whitten Oval, but not taking the longer view that if that can happen there, what’s stopping it from happening at what they call the Bulldogs Hilton?”

“It’s a real worry.”

Ms Spinner started circulating a petition last Wednesday against the State Government intervention. She plans to place the petition in Barkly St stores.

“My concern is more about Justin Madden and the State Government intervening, and not consulting with the community, and I think that was reflected (at the meeting).”