North East Link boundary extension plan for eight sites to impact homes, parkland
Councils and residents along the Eastern Freeway corridor are fighting back over a push to extend a major construction boundary up to suburban back fences.
Doncaster resident Nick Johnson can almost tolerate dust increasingly seeping into his family home and construction noises carrying on late into the night.
But a new push to extend the boundary of one of Victoria’s biggest projects right up to his back fence – which includes highly valued parkland – means the father-of-three is considering moving away.
“[I’m] Really disappointed the changes proposed weren’t in the initial plans.”
His home backs onto parkland near Tram Road Reserve that features tall trees along the Koonung Trail, about 250 metres from the Eastern Freeway, which is undergoing upgrades to connect in with the $26 billion North East Link.
In early May, authorities revealed a new proposal to expand the project boundary in eight spots along the freeway to allow for “further design work and construction planning”.
It’s prompted fierce backlash from councils, including concerns that the increased project-zone proposal is too broad, the loss of green space would hurt public amenity and has sparked calls for details on what exactly the land would be used for to be released publicly.
Johnson’s neighbour, Andrew, who asked not to use his last name, said he runs air-conditioners at home about 16 hours a day since his wife gave birth to their second daughter eight weeks ago.
He wants to filter out any dust that could come inside, which he attributes to ongoing construction works at nearby Eram Park, in Box Hill North, which is temporarily shut for construction work.
Andrew said his family stopped hanging washing outside and reduced how much time they spend in the local parks which were a key reason they moved to the area. The family received a $200 cleaning voucher after lodging a complaint about dust, but Andrew fears what could happen if the project zone gets even closer to home.
The most significant proposed boundary change would impact parkland near Doncaster’s Tram Road and Blackburn North’s Koonung Creek Reserve. Other sections are in Balwyn North and Kew, in addition to small areas along the freeway at Fairfield and Mont Albert North.
Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny is considering the proposal. The project website states detailed design and construction plans would be developed after the minister decides whether to give approval, with the changes prompted by flood-mitigation needs and utility installation, including drainage upgrades.
An online petition to “protect” the Koonung Creek Trail and Tram Road Reserve has more than 350 signatures.
Residents in the area say they have increasingly used the reserve for exercise and recreatio
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