By Aneeka Simonis
SEVERAL Nar Nar Goon homes are intended to be bulldozed to free up to 110 hectares of land for an expanding train maintenance depot, a planning document reveals.
The state-funded depot was first only supposed to affect land in Pakenham East, but a recent amendment shows much more land is planned to be acquired and that at least three homes in Nar Nar Goon will be bulldozed to make way for the major infrastructure project.
Not only that, the land may also be transformed into a train building facility.
The 16-page planning amendment ordered by Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allen now sets out to “allow assembly facilities as part of the depot”, as well as include a maintenance facility for 80 trains and a stabling yard for 30 trains.
Homes at 185, 205 and 207 Oakview Land, Nar Nar Goon, are “required for the depot”, according to the Cardinia Planning Scheme Amendment released by Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
The government has already laid out plans to apply for the Public Acquisition Overlay to take over the three Nar Nar Goon homes.
“More recent work to optimise the concept design and operational outcomes for the depot has resulted in changes to both the amount of land required for the depot and the scope of activities to be carried out at the depot,” the planning report states.
“The depot will now provide whole-of-asset-life train maintenance facilities and cater to the future rolling stock needs of the Cranbourne – Pakenham Rail Corridor and broader rail network.”
It doesn’t seem the plan has been broached publicly in the local area.
Even Cardinia Shire Mayor Jodie Owen admitted she hadn’t heard of any plans for an assembly facility at the site.
“We would hope the government would be open and transparent with us so we can then provide answers to residents who ring and ask us what’s going on,” she said.
“With planning permit provisions, sometimes the state government can go straight over the top of our heads with developments.”
A spokesperson for the Public Transport Minister said the project tender process is ongoing, and was unable to provide further details about what was planned for the depot site.
However, the spokesperson said at least 80 per cent of construction materials would be sourced locally, providing support for local businesses in addition to 200 ongoing jobs.
The 2015-16 Victorian state budget allocated $1.3 billion for the Cranbourne-Pakenham Rail Corridor Project which includes 37 new high-capacity trains, nine level crossing removals and construction of the purpose-built train maintenance depot.
The amendment can also be inspected for free at the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website at www.delwp.vic.gov.au/public-inspection.
