Bureaucrats rezone school site for parkland, then change their minds and pursue public housing plan

BROADMEADOWS neighbours have been left reeling after the state government botched plans for a new park, instead insisting on more social housing.

Hume Mayor Geoff Porter at the site that was supposed to become a park. Picture: Tim Carrafa

BROADMEADOWS neighbours have been left reeling after the state government botched plans for a new park, instead insisting on more social housing.

Neighbours of the former Broadmeadows Primary School site on Nicholas St were overjoyed when Hume Council announced a community campaign fighting for parkland there had been successful.

It would service up to 500 households in the fast-growing area, the council said.

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But their celebrations abruptly ended when the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning announced they had made a mistake.

A department spokesman said they had “accidentally” included the site in a planning scheme amendment to parkland.

Neighbours were thrilled when they thought they were finally getting a park on the school site. Picture:Rob Leeson.

“The department is currently correcting the error and apologises for any confusion caused among the community,” he said.

The land is instead earmarked for public and private housing.

Save Our School Site spokeswoman Sonja Rutherford said she was “appalled”.

“I’m angry that they should treat such a serious issue for us as a trivial clerical error,” she said.

“Especially after raising everyone’s expectations.”

Ms Rutherford said the area’s rapid population growth meant more parks were urgently needed.

More than 100 residents have signed a petition for the land to a become park.

Hume Mayor Geoff Porter said “there will be many in our community who will be very disappointed if significant open space is not provided.”

“Hume City Council has always been of the view that a local park on this site would be a great outcome for the community, and would accommodate the needs of some 400-500 households,” he said.