By David Allen
Advocacy by Cairnlea locals appears to have successfully shrunk a future housing estate by 40 per cent, defying state government efforts to seize planning control and secure more high-density development.
Development Victoria (DV) has shaved more than 300 homes from its controversial Cairnlea Estate Master Plan.
The original plan would have seen 840 homes, including 210 affordable housing dwellings, built on land previously found to be contaminated with arsenic, asbestos, lead, mercury, TNT, and other toxic substances.
The 41-hectare property at 147A Cairnlea Drive and 26S Glenbrook Avenue is undergoing remediation works by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
Whitegate Hill at the centre of the development has been nicknamed ‘Toxic Hill’ by locals due to concerns about dust blowing from the site.
But DV says it will no longer proceed with Cairnlea Planning Scheme Amendment C222 and has “lodged a [new] Development Plan to the Department for Transport and Planning for consideration”.
The decision scuppers the need to release a hotly anticipated Government Land Standing Advisory Committee report about the development.
State government Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny seized responsibility for the estate from Brimbank Council in June.
A state government spokesperson at the time told Star Weekly the change would help deliver more houses at the precinct.
But responding to questions about community concerns over the development, DV’s Acting Executive General Manager Housing, Nemesia Kennett, said “Community feedback has helped shape this Development Plan which now offers approximately 500 homes with a mix of sizes throughout.”
“We appreciate that there’s strong community interest in the project, and we will continue to keep community informed as we remediate the site and work closely with Brimbank City Council to finalise plans for the development.”
The Cairnlea redevelopment sits on property once occupied by the Albion Explosives Factory, a key ammunitions manufacturer that operated between 1939 and the late 1980s.
The site has been audited over 30 times by Victoria’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) since 1992.
The audits found traces of multiple toxic substances, but in low enough quantities to be judged safe for residential use after remediation.
The State Ombudsman blasted the EPA in 2012 for incomplete monitoring of clean-up efforts and a lack of understanding of chemical pollution in local groundwater.
Cairnlea Community Group member Graeme Blore says locals have significant concerns about the EPA’s clean up efforts and Development Victoria’s plans.
“We know there’s asbestos on that site,” he says. “We know there’s a horrible range of chemicals”.
“You can imagine if you’re a resident in Cairnlea, you look over your back fence and less than 50 metres away you’ve got workers dressed in full hazmat suits.”
Mr Blore says locals want an independent audit of the EPA’s remediation works, and for Development Victoria to adjust its plans so the more polluted areas are not zoned for residential or parklands.
An EPA spokesperson says “It is a complex site but EPA is satisfied the risks have been identified and are manageable with appropriate actions.”
The spokesperson says another environmental audit is underway to identify any remaining risks and recommend relief, and that it will be made available to the community through the EPA’s public register on completion.
DV’s Ms Kennett says “The current remediation works are being undertaken so no ongoing management will be needed after they have been completed, and the site will be safe for residential use.”
Pictures of the Albion Factory during its years of operation show two tailings’ dams which held chemical waste pumped from the factory located on Whitegate Hill.
Mr Blore says it would be irresponsible to build residential development on such contaminated soil.
Victoria faces an unprecedented housing supply crisis, with approved dwellings sitting at 14 per cent below the 10-year average.
A Demographic International Housing Affordability report published in May listed Melbourne as the ninth worst affordable housing market in the world.
State government housing updates released in February projected Brimbank would almost double its supply by 2050.
Brimbank Council in June said it had written to Ms Kilkenny objecting to its loss of authority over the Cairnlea development.
Brimbank Mayor Thuy Dang has slammed the decision.
“Council is very concerned about losing its authority over these sites and wants those powers back,” she says.
Cairnlea residents also expressed grave concerns.
Graeme Blore says “We’ve been campaigning for this site for years, and now, suddenly, our voice is silenced.”
Mr Blore says locals are in favour of new housing for their suburb but fear the plans will leave incoming residents isolated from the rest of the suburb and without proper services.
Western Metropolitan MLC Moira Deeming earlier this month sponsored a parliamentary petition calling for the estate to feature lower-density housing and more community amenities.
At time of publication, the petition had more than 800 online signatures, with Mr Blore telling The Westsider locals are also out and about canvassing within the community.
It is unclear what impact council and community advocacy has had on Development Victoria’s plans up to this point, or what form the new housing numbers will take.
St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman did not respond to requests for comment.
Western Metropolitan MLC Moira Deeming did not respond in time for our deadline.
*David Allen is a recent graduate from RMIT’s School of Journalism
