Desperate appeal to move substation shut down by Moreland Council

An urgent plan to shift a substation to be built within 20cm of a family home in Pascoe Vale South has been denied by councillors, despite one saying it’s the worst decision he’s seen.

Carmel Lochiano (middle left) with Sam and Frank Lochiano, Paul and Maria Lanteri and Sam Tartaglia outside the potential substation site. Picture: Ellen Smith

An emotional plea from a family that could be forced to live 20cm from an electrical substation was disregarded as Moreland Council shut down the possibility of allowing a nearby park to house the building.

Public Transport Victoria is set to build the substation on Reynard St, Pascoe Vale South, next door to Carmel Lochiano’s family home.

A letter from the council to PTV landed an agreement to halt any construction until June 24 as the council searched for another location.

The substation building (right) is within touching distance of a home. Picture: Ellen Smith

But an urgent business item tabled at the council’s meeting on Wednesday to ask the public whether to allow the substation in nearby Shore Reserve was lost after Mayor Natalie Abboud’s casting vote broke a tie.

PTV originally proposed a similar plan to build in Shore Reserve in 2014 and 2016 that was knocked back by the council, and confirmed with the Leader last month it was open to moving the location to open space.

The substation at Shore Reserve. Picture: Ellen Smith

There is currently a substation at the reserve.

Ms Lochiano had earlier been brought to tears in question time at the meeting as she begged the council to allow the move to the reserve.

After the motion was lost, she told the Leader her fight would continue.

“This is a disgrace,” she said.

“What happened to concerns for our safety?”

Cr Oscar Yildiz put the motion forward and said the vote was one of the worst decisions he’s seen in his 11 years on the council.

Protesters packed Moreland Council at its May meeting.

North West Ward councillor John Kavanagh said he voted against the motion because the council acted as a custodian of open space.

“I won’t allow such a facility to be built on open space that is managed by Moreland Council,” he said.

Cr Kavanagh and Cr Abboud were joined by Mark Riley, Helen Davidson and Dale Martin in voting against the motion.

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The council’s chief executive Nerina Di Lorenzo said that an independent assessment undertaken by the council on the safety concerns voiced by the family — such as noise emission and electromagnetic radiation — would be completed this week.

She also said council had scoured the area for alternative sights close enough to power the Route 58 tram line.

Construction on the substation will begin in coming months.