Services stretched in Hume as population grows 36 per cent in a decade

HUME is bursting at the seams after welcoming another 55,000 people over the past decade, activists say.

Many new housing estates are being built in Hume.

HUME is bursting at the seams after welcoming another 55,000 people over the past decade and can’t cope with any more growth, activists say.

Newly released Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the municipality’s population has ballooned by 36 per cent, from 152,797 to 207,830 residents, from 2006 to 2016.

The biggest growth was in Craigieburn West, increasing by a staggering 6437.3 per cent
from 228 people – which could have fitted into one of Somerton’s
La Mirage smaller function rooms – to 14,905 people. Craigieburn North was up 254.9 per cent to 12,081; Craigieburn South, up 66 per cent to 17,051; and Craigieburn Central, up 9.7 per cent to 8758.

Craigieburn Residents’ Association secretary Denis Moore said over 38 years he had watched farmland being rapidly converted into housing estates.

He said he felt the amount of growth had caught many off guard with the suburb now struggling to provide for the population boom.

Mickleham-Yuroke grew by 198.2 per cent from 1192 to 3554 residents; Greenvale-Bulla’s population went up 43.8 per cent to 17,297; Roxburgh Park-Somerton, up 32.4 per cent to 23,136; and Broadmeadows, up 23 per cent to 14,106.

Greenvale Residents’ Association secretary Charlie Grech said roads and schools were at breaking point. Residents have long called for the duplication of Craigieburn, Mickleham and Somerton roads and a new secondary school in Greenvale.

Jim Overend has called for the duplication of Craigieburn Rd. Picture: Kris Reichl

RELATED: Decision on Craigieburn Rd duplication cash won’t be made for several months

Mr Grech said for the State Government to encourage development but not provide the services was “reckless”.

“There have been quite a number of subdivisions created and thats added hundreds of extra homes into the area,” he said.

“The government isn’t keeping pace with the increase volume of housing development by providing adequate infrastructure.”

He said Hume would turn into a “catastrophe” if something wasn’t done soon.

“Mickleham Rd is now at a dangerous point and severely overloaded,” he said.

“It’s the main thoroughfare to the north and it’s become chaotic with long traffic queues.

“We have parents having to send their kids outside the area to get a secondary education and it’s not good enough.”

RELATED: Push for new Greenvale college fires up despite rezone move

Hume planning and development director Kelvin Walsh said the council was advocating for partnerships with the state and federal governments to provide for solutions that would bridge the infrastructure gaps.

Mr Walsh said as well as road improvements the council saw the need for increased parking at Craigieburn and Sunbury train stations and 22 new schools over the next two decades.

Yuroke state Labor MP Ros Spence said the Government was building and acquiring land for new schools, investing in health services and significantly boosting police numbers in the region.