Broadmeadows residents want the state government to stop plans to sell the site of the former Broadmeadows Primary School for housing.
The state government in November announced plans to sell the 2.16-hectare site at 2-16 Nicholas Street which has been deemed surplus to requirements and earmarked for rezoning and development as part of the Inclusionary Housing Pilot.
Private and social housing will be built on the land, which will be developed by a private builder in conjunction with community housing providers.
But residents want the site to be kept as public open space and used as a future school site.
Broadmeadows Progress Association secretary Sonja Rutherford said the site was the only public open space in Broadmeadows and was regularly used by residents.
She said residents were concerned that more housing would exacerbate traffic problems.
“We have enormous logistic problems that haven’t been addressed. We don’t need more development. We need to have existing dwellings serviced,” Mrs Rutherford said.
“Every morning, there is a static line of traffic along Blair Street from Camp Road.”
Mrs Rutherford said residents would like the site placed in the care of Hume council.
Hume council has called for the development to comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom social housing properties and a neighbourhood park.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is expected to make a recommendation on how the site should be developed to Planning Minister Richard Wynne in the coming weeks.
