Residents anger at Maribyrnong City Council over Footscray’s Greenwood Lane

Frustrated and disheartened Footscray residents are up for the fight against an inner-city council over a controversial laneway they say is promoting drug use.

Residents have seen food delivery drivers collecting food from Greenwood Lane. Picture: Supplied

A group of fired-up residents has taken an inner-city council to task over an unsealed and unlit Footscray laneway which has sparked a multi-year fight.

Footscray residents have spent years asking Maribyrnong City Council to seal Greenwood Ln behind Cowper St.

Residents have found used syringes, which they believe to be drug paraphernalia, as well as food delivery drivers using the laneway access route to get to what they believe was a “dark restaurant” in the laneway.

It is a situation that resident Chris Wheelhouse said has made him uncomfortable given Greenwood Ln is near his property.

“It’s frustrating and disheartening where we have a situation that has been allowed to be ongoing longer than I’ve been in Footscray,” he said.

“It is unsafe, it is unlit and it has become an issue where anti-social behaviour is occurring … and it should be addressed.

“I would have thought that the time that has gone into this at both council level and for residents that this would have been addressed long ago.”

Maribyrnong Mayor Sarah Carter confirmed a proposal to light and seal the laneway had been considered in the 2022/23 budget.

“Having been considered by Council in the context of all submissions received and in light of a number of competing priorities within the program, this proposal was not supported,” she said.

The Department of Health confirmed they had not attended a Greenwood Ln/Cowper St property, which allegedly housed a “dark restaurant”, as they were not the responsible food regulator.

Syringes in Greenwood Lane were found by residents. Picture: Supplied

Resident’s objections for a brewery development on 148-150 Cowper St — labelled the laneway as “unsealed, unlit, and unsafe” with lighting and sealing Greenwood Lane raised as resolution the issue.

The response section noted that it was “within community expectations” to have the laneway sealed and lit “to mitigate potential risks”.

Mr Wheelhouse said the majority of residents who used the laneway were willing to help pay for the sealing and lighting of the road but they wanted to see how the distribution would work and the final quote.

The council did not confirm whether they would investigate the option of sharing the cost with the Footscray residents.

It comes as a two-storey accommodation which will back onto Greenwood Ln from 123 Cowper St has been approved for the area.

Plans show Greenwood Ln would be a common access point to the property for residents.

“No one here is trying to be unreasonable and there’s no one that is running around with a (vendetta),” Mr Wheelhouse said.

“With those developments comes a sense of responsibility for the council to mitigate against risks and to ensure the safety of their residents.”