By EMMA SUN
EMERALD residents have accused Cardinia Shire Council of letting them down, following its recent decision to sell almost 10 per cent of Pepi’s Land for subdivision.
The precinct is currently 28.6 hectares in size, and includes a BMX track, a shared pedestrian and cycling trail and a variety of vegetation.
The sale would mean two blocks totalling three-and-a half hectares along Hamilton Road will be auctioned as residential lots.
The council said the sales would offset the repurchase of a part of the land in 2010, after it was sold in 2004 to Chris and Marie’s Plant Farm.
But furious residents have argued the land should never have been sold in the first place, with 59 community members of 60 voting against the move nine years ago.
Hamilton Road resident Debra Cooper said local residents were now facing the ramifications of the council’s short-sighted decision.
“We bought into the area 27 years ago, and then 15 years later when our neighbours moved in, they were told Pepi’s Land would never be subdivided,” she said.
“(The 2004 sale), as predicted, proved to be a bad decision, and in 2010 council purchased back this piece of land at a hugely increased cost.”
She said there was also no mention of selling another part of the land.
Ms Cooper’s neighbours Terry Swalwell and Jenny, who didn’t want her surname published, said it was disappointing that the council decided to sell the land, which they thought was meant to be left for public use.
“I think it’s a short-sighted decision in the sense that yes, it meets the immediate shortfall that they have, but it forever loses that as public land and that is the ultimate shame,” Mr Swalwell said.
Ms Cooper said she feared the sale of the land would make the start of the “urban sprawl” into Emerald, which would have detrimental environmental impacts on the area.
“As it is, Pepi’s Land affords a lovely view for residents and tourists driving along Beaconsfield-Emerald Road as well as passengers on Puffing Billy,” she said.
“There are rare native fish in Pepi’s dams and the creek along with wombats, wallabies and many more native animals on the property.”
Mr Swalwell said dieldrin residue, a form of soil contamination, had also been an issue in the past.
But council’s general manager assets and services Michael Ellis said recent tests had shown that it would not affect purchasers of the land.
“A land capability assessment, including a soil contamination report, has been undertaken and shows the land is suitable for development,” he said.
He said the council would work with the community to ensure a great future for the land.
The residents said they were now exploring new avenues to reverse the decision, including taking the council to VCAT.
