Tara Murray
Hume council has refused to support plans to fast track a new master plan which will add 8000 houses to Craigieburn west until the state government commits to duplicating Mickleham Road.
The Victorian Planning Authority is aiming to fast track 19 planning and infrastructure projects, including the Craigieburn West Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), as part of the government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Councillors are concerned that fast-tracking the project would exacerbate traffic problems in the area.
They are calling for Mickleham Road to be duplicated before or in tandem with the development of the PSP.
In 2019, an average of 29,000 cars per day used Mickleham Road between Somerton and Donnybrook roads, up 54 per cent from 2013.
According to a council infrastructure plan, an arterial road should be duplicated once it is used by 20,000 cars daily.
Planning Minister Richard Wynne said last year that the duplication should start within five years.
Cr Joseph Haweil said the northern growth corridor had seen some of the largest residential development in Australia but the roads hadn’t been upgraded to handle it.
“We’re not opposed to the fulfilment or the fast track of the PSP…that being said it does not come without our own expectations and priorities. Our support does not come for free,” he said.
“Our primary concern is the duplication of Mickleham Road between Somerton and Donnybrook roads.
“There has been no state or federal investment in arterial roads north of Somerton Road.”
In submissions to the council, the Greenvale Residents Association’s Tamara Nolan and Charlie Grech said the duplication of Mickelham Road prior to the development of the Craigieburn West PSP was essential.
They said a five-year wait for the duplication to start was too long.
“The GRA has been concerned for a number of years of the rapid increase in residential development in our area without the appropriate infrastructure in place to support that growth,” Ms Nolan said.
“The GRA strongly suggest the state government support the existing community first and bring forward the much-needed duplication of Mickleham and Somerton roads and to be constructed prior to the development of the Craigieburn West PSP.”
