Croydon development proposal would fell hundreds of trees and leave wildlife homeless

MORE than 750 trees, home to wildife including endangered bats, could be chopped down to make way for a housing development in Croydon.

MORE than 750 trees, home to wildife including endangered bats, could be chopped down to make way for a housing development in Croydon.

The development at 62-74 Vasey Concourse, which covers nearly 2ha hectares of bushland and backs onto a reserve, is now before Maroondah Council planners.

Two neighbours have teamed up for the proposed development and want to subdivide the land into six lots.

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They also want to build an access roadway, underground utilities and “other associated infrastructure”.

They claim an arborist’s report found 757 of almost 900 trees on the site had “none” or “low” retention value.

But environmentalists and locals are furious at the plan to fell them, and 51 official objections have been lodged.

It was debated at a fiery and packed council planning meeting on July 25.

Croydon Conservation Society president Liz Sanzaro said she was strongly opposed to the development “in its current format”.

“It’s not an environmentally sensitive plan, it would forever change the local environment and all of the wildlife that lives in the current trees,” she said.

“In terms of what the habitat value is, it’s definitely one of the biggest and best areas that remains (in Maroondah) and without a doubt it (the development) would change it for the worst.”

Ms Sanzaro was also concerned vegetation replanting would not take place in Maroondah.

Cr Mike Symon, who has the proposed development in his ward, said the area was “not like the rest of Maroondah”.

He said the proposed development was “a big one” and “certainly would change the look of that area” if it went ahead.

Cr Symon said he had read all objections and they would be considered by the council.

A neighbour on nearby Montana Pde, who declined to be named, said the area attracted “amazing” wildlife including endangered bats, wallabies, owls and butterflies.

“It’s a whole ecosystem that’s going to go,” the neighbour said.
“I wouldn’t have bought here if I knew all the trees were going to be cut down.”

The council is expected to make a decision in the coming weeks while the applicants’ representative, consultant Millar Merrigan, did not respond to Leader’s questions by deadline.

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