More than 100 Whittlesea residents have voiced their opposition to a proposed three-storey aged care development, claiming the project is “not in the right location.”
The proposed $5 million development of a 51-bed residential aged care facility at 3 Black Flat Road has sparked widespread concern among locals, who gathered at a community meeting on October 18 to discuss the development’s potential impacts.
While residents made it clear they support aged care in principle, they claim the semi-rural location, which sits next to a childcare centre currently under construction, is unsuitable due to traffic, parking and safety issues.
Local resident Janine Harvey has coordinated the community opposition, and said the project’s design failed to account for the realities of the area.
“This development is for 51 beds and just 21 car spaces – totally insufficient for staff and visitors,” Mrs Harvey said.
“We’d be faced with a big increase in traffic, with cars parking up residential streets. The area is not designated for that kind of congestion.
“The traffic and parking issues would also affect the residents close by but also many people, including residents from Eden Park and beyond that use Black Flat Road as access to Whittlesea.”
A sustainable design assessment (SDA) by Lorax Co which formed part of the planning application, indicated that the design aimed to “promote walking, cycling, and public transport, in that order, and to minimise car dependency.”
According to the application, the site provides 139 square metres of carparking – around 3.9 per cent of the total site area – as well as eight secure bicycle parking spaces and end-of-trip facilities, including showers and lockers for staff.
The SDA states the facility is “expected to service approximately 180 staff members and residents on average each day,” supported by a layout which “promotes low-emission transport choices and reduces reliance on on-street parking.”
Planning permit application documents prepared by Whittlesea council include plans for a driveway and parking area running parallel to the western boundary, which will provide undercroft parking for 21 vehicles.
In addition, the SDA notes permeable paving and stormwater systems will limit surface runoff and maintain local amenity, with “24,000 litres of rainwater storage plumbed to half of all toilets” and landscaped areas covering 15 per cent of the site.
While residents argue the project “doesn’t reflect the character of Whittlesea’s semi-rural community,” the assessment maintains the design “responds to site opportunities and constraints” and meets Whittlesea Council’s Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) policy objectives to “minimise environmental impacts” and support sustainable transport options.
Residents have also disputed the developer’s claim that there are no aged care facilities within a 15-kilometre radius. Ms Harvey said there are already two existing facilities in Whittlesea and a third approved by council earlier this year for Plenty Road.
“This proposal doesn’t reflect the needs or character of Whittlesea’s semi-rural community,” she said.
Council will consider both community submissions and the SDA findings when the application returns for a planning decision later this year.
