Arguments for retention
ECOLOGICAL
The significance of this reserve corridor has an ecological perspective. For example, the Department of Sustainability and Environment (2006) Atlas of Victorian Wildlife records 48 fauna species within 1.5km of the Kodak Bridge over Edgar’s Creek. Approx 280 trees already exist on the site. Included in the parkland are areas of remnant vegetation.
OPEN SPACE
There are long-term requirements for open space in the area resulting from high to medium residential developments in Pentridge Village and the former Kodak site. The City of Moreland already has one of the lowest percentages of open space allocations in metropolitan Melbourne.
VIC PARKS LEVY
The land should remain in public ownership in return for the Melbourne Water Parkland fee paid annually by local ratepayers. To date, almost none of the $3m money collected each year by the state government in the form of an annual Melbourne Water Parkland fee has been used for Parkland maintenance and/or provision in the City of Moreland
COUNCIL’S RESPONSIBILITY
Council has been responsible for maintaining and improving this land, including tree planning. Moreland ratepayers should not have to buy the land to save it for open space – why should the public pay for what they already own?
RECREATIONAL USES
The existing parkland is used daily by golfers, dog walkers and regularly by the Coburg Harriers athletics club and their affiliates for cross-country running events. The loss of this parkland would force these activities elsewhere. Off-leash dog walking areas are also in very short supply in Moreland and the loss of parkland would significantly compromise the ability for this area to safely support off-leash dog-walking.
COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND CONNECTION
The parkland also fosters social interaction and connectedness through participation in shared social activities and spontaneous meetings.
WATERWAY MANAGEMENT
The undeveloped watershed land in its current state helps maintain water quality in Edgars Creek. This is particularly important given the Merri and Edgars Creek are tributaries of the Yarra River which is already suffering from increasing urban pollution.
GREEN BUFFER BETWEEN INDUSTRY, RESIDENTIAL AND RECREATIONAL PRECINCTS
The desirability to maintain a green buffer between surrounding residential areas and the Newlands Core Industrial Precinct i.e., this helps mitigate emissions, manage noise pollution, impact of potential 24/7 illumination etc. Development of existing parklands for uses other than public open space would compromise the existing secluded bushland character of the reserve corridor which the local Council has already committed to preserving and improving.
FLOODPLAIN
The majority of the residential zone land is classified as land subject to inundation and is in the path of overland flows for storm water. This should prohibit the development of this land, particularly given the age and lack of capacity of existing stormwater infrastructure in the surrounding area. Climate change factors further exacerbate inundation issues.
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTS
Residential or industrial development of the parklands area would place additional pressure on existing road infrastructure not adequately designed to support this increased traffic volume. The bridge width over Merri Creek and the intersection with Murray Road are already bottlenecks. Additional traffic would reduce pedestrian safety and increase noise pollution for local residents.
LANDFILL AND CONTAMINATION
Areas of the parkland have been used for landfill and may therefore be unsuitable for residential development with extensive remediation works.