Petition to save Ringwood Blood Brothers gets 660 signatures, tabled to Maroondah Council

For 100 years, this ramshackle but much-loved piece of history has been a feature of Ringwood. Now, its future is in doubt, and people are not happy.

The historic Blood Brothers building on the corner of Bedford and Warrandyte roads in Ringwood. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Maroondah residents have been assured they will get a say in determining whether a historic 100-year-old bottle shop will be knocked down for a multi-deck carpark.

Maroondah Council has picked the site of the Blood Brothers building on the corner of Bedford and Warrandyte roads for the $15 million federally funded project, first announced in February 2019.

The building, built in 1914, is next to Ringwood railway station and is partially used as a drive-through Celebrations bottle shop.

A 660-signature e-petition was tabled at the council’s meeting on November 30, with councillors voting to consider it as part of the planning process.

Council officers understood at least 50 per cent of signatories lived in Maroondah.

The petition stated that the selection process for the site was “flawed” and called on the council to pick a new carpark location.

It also claimed community groups such as the Ringwood Historical Society were not consulted before the council purchased the site.

Director of planning and community Phil Turner confirmed a heritage overlay was in place at the site, which had triggered a review.

Mr Turner said an external consultant was compiling a town planning report on the best use of the site, which would also consider the building’s heritage.

Following a question from Cr Rob Steane, Mr Turner confirmed the project would go through the council’s regular planning permit process, which would include public consultation.

The Ringwood carpark is one of four planned at Maroondah railway stations, with others to also be built at Croydon, Heathmont and Heatherdale.

Work has only begun at the Croydon carpark site, with site preparations and a road closure introduced in October.

The council has refused to answer repeated inquiries about the Croydon carpark from Maroondah Leader, first sent in early October.

They included questions about construction timelines, the change in the carpark’s original design, and alternative parking for commuters during construction.

The council’s director of operations, assets and leisure, Adam Todorov, previously said the site of the Croydon Community Precinct could be used as a temporary carpark.

The council’s website indicates an expected completion date for the Croydon carpark of October 2021.