A NEW residential and commercial development in Donnybrook Road will contribute to the “big mess” of northern suburbs traffic, according to a long-term resident.
Planning Minister Matthew Guy launched new “employment city” and residential venture Merrifield on May 23.
The 900-hectare MAB Corporation and Gibson Property Corporation development involves 4000 houses being built on site just off the Hume Freeway.
Mr Guy said 20,000 jobs will be created in Merrifield’s 300-hectare business precinct, which will be linked to the Melbourne CBD by the Hume Freeway and the Plenty Road arterial.
But resident and business owner Caz Monteleone said the development is going ahead without adequate infrastructure.
Mr Monteleone’s family has owned Donnybrook Farmhouse Cheese and Monteleone restaurant in Donnybrook Road for 30 years.
“There’s nothing wrong with development – it’s good for business,” he said. “But they can’t build 4000 houses and create the inconvenience to deal with that later on.”
He said the traffic around the Hume Freeway was “appalling” and the roads were “not keeping up” with expansion.
Donnybrook Road currently only services farm land.
MAB chief operating officer David Hall said the two companies would ensure Donnybrook Road would be changed to accommodate the development. “Merrifield has been 10 years in the making,” Mr Hall said.
“This has included extensive planning with the state government, VicRoads and relevant authorities to develop a comprehensive traffic management strategy.”
Mr Hall said infrastructure changes would include the widening and duplication of Donnybrook Road to three lanes in each direction and “the inclusion of intersections and change in speed limit”.
But he said changes will not be made immediately because Merrifield is a 30-year project.
Donnybrook railway station is about five kilometres from the development site and has a 35-minute service to the CBD.
A bus service is also planned to travel within the site. Merrifield will be classified as a “20-minute city”, which means all jobs and services are less than a 20-minute commute from residential areas.
Merrifield’s first stage is expected to be completed by 2015. Whittlesea council was contacted for comment.
