By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A CONTROVERSIAL plan for a relocated, enlarged roundabout across the bluestone-walled entrance of Berwick Springs may yet be stopped, says Casey councillor Sam Aziz.
About 100 protesters – and 300 petitioners – say they were surprised by the plan to bulldoze the tree-lined, landscaped gateway at Greaves Road and Berwick Springs Promenade.
Cr Aziz said the council would be “very, very protective” of Berwick Springs, pointing to its intervention to fix the lake’s fountain long neglected by Melbourne Water in 2013.
“This is a case of jumping at shadows,” Cr Aziz said.
“The decision on that proposal is not complete and may not go ahead.
“I am going to write to every single resident in Berwick Springs to explain the facts and address a lot of misinformation.”
Cr Aziz said the council would ensure the estate’s amenity would not be impacted.
“That’s a guarantee, not a promise”.
Berwick Springs resident Aldonio Ferreira said the plan by developer Moremac Property Group – which owns the neighbouring Alira estate – was a “defacing” of Berwick Springs.
“It amounts to destroying one home’s facade for the sake of building another home in the opposite side of the road.
“The entrance to Berwick Springs is a fundamental part of the estate and something that all residents reasonably took as an unassailable right when they purchased (their) homes.”
Mr Ferreira was “appalled” by the council’s “shameful manoeuvre to keep the local residents in the dark, present them with a fait accompli, and deprive a key stakeholder of the right to have their voices heard”.
Head petitioner, Michael Ball, said residents wanted a say on the development but were only being consulted on the gateway’s landscaping.
“We simply cannot understand why council would allow such a massive roundabout to be located so close to our lake crossover and bridge.”
Mr Ball said he first heard of the project from construction workers on site two weeks ago.
Casey Council since confirmed with him that the works could start in a few weeks time, he said.
The council’s city design and construction manager, Trevor Griffin, told Star News that residents had been consulted as part of a Berwick Springs Wetland Reserve master plan on the Casey Conversations website in March.
“The proposed roundabout is much larger to accommodate increased traffic flows, and has been designed to meet safety standards for road design, minimise impact upon the contour drain to the north, fit within land set aside for the road and avoid land acquisition from private properties.”
Mr Griffin said the council and Moremac were aware of the community’s attachment to the bluestone entrance.
“The proposed plans seek to reinstate them as part of the roundabout construction project.”
