Hume Council blasts move to make it pay for former Broadmeadows Primary School land

ASKING Hume Council to pay for a park on the former Broadmeadows Primary School site is “a kick in the guts” to the community, the mayor says.

ASKING Hume Council to pay for a park on the former Broadmeadows Primary School site is “a kick in the guts” to the community, the mayor says.

The 2.16ha site at 2-16 Nicholas St, which has been deemed surplus land by the Education Department, is set to be sold for private and social housing.

The land is part of the State Government’s Inclusionary Housing Pilot to build up to 100 social housing properties across six sites in Melbourne.

CALLS FOR FORMER SCHOOL SITE TO BE KEPT AS OPEN SPACE

BUREAUCRATS REZONE SCHOOL SITE THEN CHANGE THEIR MINDS

DEVELOPMENT MUST INCLUDE PARK

Planning Minister Richard Wynne has announced amendments to the Hume Planning Scheme, which includes a new 0.75ha park connecting to the Meadowlink Linear Reserve.

But in an “unfair” move, the council received a letter from Mr Wynne inviting it to buy the land for the park by July 27.

“We are asked to fund this purchase, essentially resulting in council having to pay for land that is already publicly owned,” Mayor Geoff Porter said.

“This outcome is not only unfair to our ratepayers, it is a kick in the guts to the Broadmeadows community who seem to continually miss out when it comes to the big ticket items.”

Hume Mayor Geoff Porter is unhappy council has been asked to pay for a park at the former Broadmeadows Primary School site. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Broadmeadows Progress Association assistant secretary Sonja Rutherford said it was “an arrogant thumb at the nose offer” from the government.

She said there was a lot of anger within the community over Mr Wynne’s disregard for residents and support for developers.

Keeping the former Broadmeadows Primary School site for open space has a groundswell of community support. Picture: Ellen Smith

But Mr Wynne said the government had listened to the concerns of the community and ensured that a third of the site was set aside for a park.

Hume planning and development director Michael Sharp said arrangements to secure the open space were being negotiated.