North East Link: Planning Minister offers advice for Bulleen Park in Environmental Effects Statement
Planning Minister Richard Wynne hasn’t given a clear direction for the future of Bulleen Park, calling for clubs to hold talks with the North East Link Authority and sort the issue out themselves.
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Manningham Council has vowed to continue its fight to minimise North East Link’s impact on community resources at Bulleen Park.
Planning Minister Richard Wynne released his assessment of the future road project’s Environmental Effects Statement on December 3.
The project is set to cut through 7ha of parkland and the North East Link Authority has looked at various options to reconfigure the area.
Among the clubs and facilities affected by the project were the Yarra Junior Football League, the Freeway Public Golf Course, Boroondara Tennis Centre and archery and aeromodeller clubs.
Mr Wynne did not pick sides in his response to the statement, saying it would be a matter of negotiation between the authority and stakeholders.
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He said Bulleen Park was a site of “a number of competing interests” and flagged “compromises will be needed here”.
“I am confident that negotiation will reach a reasonable outcome, even if it will require concessions from some stakeholders,” he wrote.
Manningham Mayor Paul McLeish said Mr Wynne’s response “failed to determine the way forward on Bulleen Park”.
Cr McLeish said the council supported the authority’s preference to reconfigure the park so it protects existing ovals, kept space for the archery and aeromodeller clubs, replaced soccer facilities and creates a 12-hole golf course.
“We will continue to work with relevant stakeholders and our neighbouring councils to advocate that Bulleen Park remains an open space for all the community to enjoy,” he said.
The authority has offered to move the YJFL — which has more than 11,000 players — to an upgraded Ford Park in Ivanhoe.
But the league’s preference is for a permanent base at the Henderson Seed Farm site on Bulleen’s Templestowe Rd.
YJFL chief executive Tim Murray said he would continue push the State Government and the authority on the league’s preferred home.
“We have advised NELA that a temporary move to Ford Park would be acceptable but longer-term that site would not be viable and would place the future of the YJFL in jeopardy,” he said.