North East Link: Manningham Council slams government over road plans

Sporting clubs and businesses will suffer and vital open space will be lost if the current North East Link design is approved, Manningham Council says. Here’s what they say is wrong with the project.

Bulleen businesses might have to leave the area. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Manningham Council has refused to support the North East Link project’s standing design because of the impact it will have on sporting and business communities in the municipality.

Councillors lashed the State Government on several fronts when they met last week to endorse the submission to the project’s environmental effects statement.

Cr Geoff Gough said there were “a number of devastating things that we need some answers from the State Government on”.

“This will have a devastating effect on our economy, and a big impact on flat, open space within our municipality,” he said.

Templestowe United’s Dennis Della Costa says the club faces being homeless if Bulleen Park is demolished.

Cr Paul McLeish said the outcome would be “catastrophic” for Bulleen Park.

“If you are going to destroy a facility you have to replace it. We can’t just reach into the hip pockets of ratepayers to replace these facilities, it’s the North East Link’s responsibility,” he said.

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The submission to the project’s environmental effects statement, which was prepared by council officers in consultation with councillors, has now been sent to an independent planning panel.

Swan Plastics employee Claire Monk and owner David Monk are worried about the future of their business. Picture: Andy Brownbill

The panel, convened by the State Government, will have a public hearing on July 25 at which representatives of Manningham Council and other submitters will get the chance to speak.

The council supports the North East Link in principle but won’t support the standing design.

An artist’s impression of the Manningham Road interchange.

The council’s submission includes that the EES understates the severity of the reference design’s impacts on the clubs and facilities at Bulleen Park; a proposal to compensate Boroondara Council with public land within Manningham is unjustified; impacts on the Koonung Creek corridor should be further minimised or avoided altogether; and the council is opposed to the removal of a historic red gum in Bridge St.

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