• Footscray, Yarraville, Braybrook Star

By Charlene Gatt

27th October 2009 11:05:42 AM

---

MARIBYRNONG City Council is keen to be reinstated as the responsible authority for Whitten Oval, as the debate over a public housing development heats up.

The council will ask State Planning Minister Justin Madden to reinstate it as the responsible authority and is requesting a meeting with the full board of the Western Bulldogs to discuss plans for the proposed $80 million development, which is earmarked to occupy the southern end of Whitten Oval.

The development, which is currently being considered by the State Government, is expected to include a mix of affordable housing, social housing, transitional housing and crisis accommodation.

It is likely to be built in two high-rises, which would house up to 250 units over five floors.

A council report was tabled last week and councillors Dina Lynch and Catherine Cumming pointed the finger at the Bulldogs over the development, but made no mention of HomeGround Services, the housing organisation that is also driving the project.

Cr Cumming said the council and the community had had a “gutful” of the Bulldogs antics. She said the Bulldogs were tugging on people’s heartstrings while stealing valuable public open space.

She also questioned whether a football club was the best organisation to look after the homeless.

Crs Cumming and Lynch both expressed surprise that the Bulldogs had failed to properly consult the council or the community about the changes.

This has been denied by the Bulldogs.

Bulldogs CEO Campbell Rose said the club was surprised by the council’s strong reaction to the proposal.

“In an area of such great need, and in an area of such unarguable disadvantage, we can’t see why the council is so against it,” he said.

HomeGround Services CEO Steven Nash spoke to Star earlier this month and said he had been in preliminary discussions with Mayor Michael Clarke and CEO Kerry Thompson and had been trying to organise a briefing with the full council.

Cr Lynch said the Whitten Oval redevelopment had been fraught with problems from the time the council signed off on it in 2006.

“These are no small changes … it is bringing in 250 units in a very, very small area,” Cr Lynch said.

“Why have they not spoken to us?”

“He (the Planning Minister) needs to hand the planning and responsibility back to the council and back to the community,” Cr Cumming said.

In July last year, Mr Madden used his powers under the Planning and Environment Act to become the responsible authority for Whitten Oval. The move took all planning powers away from the council.

Mayor Michael Clarke, who has publicly opposed the plan numerous times, did not comment on the matter when it was raised at last week’s council meeting.

---

Popular Stories