By Laura Michell
Westmeadows residents are calling for Hume council or the state government to declare that “buffer land” between the closed Tullamarine landfill and existing houses can never be built on, after plans to build an industrial and residential precinct on the site were knocked back.
MAB Corporation had proposed to build about 227 dwellings and 41 industrial lots on the site at 140-204 Western Avenue and 47-67 and 69-99 Wright Street as part of an amendment to Hume’s planning scheme, but the plans were rejected by a majority of Hume councillors at a meeting on Tuesday, March 15.
Council received 326 submissions on the proposal, the majority of which were opposed to it. Opponents to the plan argued the buffer land was needed to protect existing residential areas from the landfill site.
Council officers had recommended councillors refer the amendment to an independent planning panel.
The planning scheme amendment was the third proposed for the Western Avenue land in recent years. Amendments were prepared by the council in 2012 and 2015 but were abandoned following formal exhibition. The Wright Street land was not included in the previous proposals.
According to planning documents, the land is no longer needed as a buffer between the landfill and existing houses and is safe to develop.
The documents state that while a 2014 environmental audit found the land’s groundwater was contaminated to a depth of 15-25 metres, the land is “suitable for industrial and sensitive uses (including residential)” as long as construction does not interfere with the groundwater and access to landfill monitoring boreholes on the site is maintained.
Deputy mayor Sam Misho questioned why council should risk approving the amendment when the site’s groundwater was contaminated.
“I am not satisfied it is completely safe,” he said.
“I would be very hesitant to support my family members to consider living on the site.”
Terminate Tulla Toxic Dump Action Group president Kaylene Wilson described council’s decision to reject the amendment as the “best outcome ever”.
“It was like being in the movie The Castle. The little guys took on the big guys and won,” she said.
Ms Wilson said it was time for council and the government declare that the land should never be built on.
“Council and the government needs to find a way to ensure the land gets put back into the community by way of a park of the likes,” she said.
