A planned 380-lot development in Greenvale north must include a bus-capable road to reduce future residents’ reliance on cars, according to the Hume council.
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is preparing the Greenvale north part two precinct structure plan (PSP) which covered 33 hectares north of Greenvale Reservoir, west of Aitken Boulevard and east of Mickleham Road.
In a submission to the VPA, council said providing a bus-capable road in the development area was particularly important to avoid “exacerbating car dependency” in the area.
Council said this was a “non-negotiable priority”.
Councillors Joseph Haweil, Sam Misho and Jim Overend raised concerns about traffic congestion in and around Greenvale while discussing the council’s submission during the August 26 council meeting.
Cr Haweil said it was important that the PSP offered a high standard of living for residents.
“If you live in Greenvale today, you are mostly stuck in traffic, gridlocked from street to street. Everywhere you go there are council projects, state government projects, private developer projects all happening at the same time. So I think when residents are looking at the inclusion of extra housing … they just want to ensure that what is provided … is something of a high quality,” he said.
Cr Overend feared the PSP would add to local congestion, noting that Aitken Boulevard was already congested and Mickleham Road was “at a standstill”.
“Traffic is at a standstill. Residents can’t get in and out of their estates. They can’t get their kids to school,” he said.
“They deserve a much higher standard.”
Cr Jarrod Bell called for some of the lots to be used to create a shopping strip.
“I have been concerned about the decline of local shopping options,” he said.
Introducing a convenience store – where residents can easily walk to buy essentials like bread and milk – would significantly enhance our community’s way of life. It’s a crucial step toward improving daily convenience for our residents.”
