By Brendan Rees
A Narre Warren North farmer says he and other residents fear their idyllic way of life is being threatened by a raft of big developments planned for the region.
John Rousseaux, who runs Angus cattle at his 20-acre property, said the community was on “verge of losing a beautiful piece of green wedge” right on their door steps.
“We are perplexed as to why so many proposals have been applied for in such a short period of time,” he said.
He said residents had concerns their landscape would be destroyed by proposed developments including three primary schools, a secondary school, a large scale residence, and an expansion of Harkaway Hills College. A child care centre has also proposed in Narre Warren North.
Mr Rousseaux is one of more than 800 objectors to a proposed mosque on Belgrave-Hallam in Narre Warren North which was recently given the green light by Casey Council. Residents are now preparing for a VCAT fight.
“It could be a Bunnings or a service station … it doesn’t matter who or what the building is; it’s the fact that it’s a building in the middle of farmland,” he said.
“I’m trying to farm the land and I don’t know what’s going … I think that we are being taken for a ride.
He said the multi-million dollar developments went against the Narre-Warren North township strategy adopted by Casey Council which aims “to protect the non-urban areas of Narre Warren North, including the northern foothills and their associated environmental and landscape qualities.”
“The farming rural aspect of this area, combined with Lysterfield Lake, makes this a very beautiful area for all to enjoy,” Mr Rousseaux said.
Casey councillor Rex Flannery said the green wedge should be “left alone” but supported the building of a mosque in Narre Warren North.
He said had the objectors to the mosque raised concerns about the development of Harkaway Hills College on Abeckett Road he would’ve voted against the mosque.
“They’re accepting of a school having congestion but they’ve got no tolerance for the congestion that the mosque may create,” Cr Flannery said.
“You can’t have it both ways,” he said.
Casey anti-mosque campaigner councillor Rosalie Crestani maintained the mosque proposal would have a “detrimental impact” to the character of the semi-rural landscape.
Meanwhile Mr Rousseaux said the landscape had already been compromised with congestion.
“I can’t even get out of my farm because the traffic is at a standstill 6.30 every morning and we haven’t got any of these developments,” he said.
Friends of the Earth spokesman Cam Walker said development occurring around the fringes of Melbourne was “developer driven.”
“Continuous low density sprawl is consuming important farm land, open space and remnant vegetation. It is also putting large new populations into areas that are not adequately serviced with public transport or essential community services,” he said.
Casey acting manager of statutory planning and building services Nick Moore said residents concerned about planning applications within the green wedge zone could make a formal objection to council to “ensure that the community’s concerns are taken into consideration.”
