Hampton Park Food Market an unsafe eyesore, neighbours say

IT WAS supposed to be a gleaming $40 million attraction — but a food market in Melbourne’s southeast is instead an unsafe eyesore strewn with rubbish, according to fed-up neighbours.

The owners of the site would like help from the council and community to identify dumpers, according to a spokeswoman. Picture: Chris Eastman

GRAFFITI-riddled buildings, carparks full of potholes, pavements littered with rubbish, and dilapidated buildings have made Hampton Park Food Market an unsafe eyesore, people living nearby say.

Earmarked for redevelopment in 2016, the Hallam Rd site is now practically derelict as locals wait for the owners to make good their promise of a $40 million revamp.

When Leader visited last week it was in effect a ghost town, with walls covered in graffiti, overgrown gardens and rubbish-filled trolleys left abandoned on the footpaths.

The Hampton Park Progress Association said it had received many complaints about the state of the market, and has called on the City of Casey to act.

The food market was earmarked for a $40 million revamp in 2016. Picture: Chris Eastman

The Hampton Park Food Market is practically abandoned, with only a handful of outlets open. Picture: Chris Eastman

Dumping in and around the market is a recurring problem. Picture: Chris Eastman

“The land owners have strung the community along for years saying they are going to redevelop (it), and nothing has happened,” it said.

“There has been a litany of issues that go back many years over the failure to keep the shops in a safe and clean condition.”

Speaking on behalf of owners Karex Pty Ltd, Sandra Jones said they were still working on the redevelopment but that “as the project requires injection of (more than) $40 million, we would like to dot the i’s and cross the t’s.”

But she would not say when residents could expect to see some action.

Ms Jones said the owners had been reporting graffiti to the City of Casey and there were bins available for the four tenants to use.

Potholes are another issue in the area. Picture: Chris Eastman

Fed-up residents want the area cleaned up. Picture: Chris Eastman

Parts of the market are plastered in graffiti. Picture: Chris Eastman

The site’s owners say they still plan to redevelop it. Picture: Chris Eastman

“When neighbouring tenants or (the) people of Hampton Park come and dump rubbish on our site it is hard to point the finger at a particular person,” she said.

“That’s where we have asked the council to assist us to put cameras to catch the (people) responsible.

“People dumping rubbish on our site is cleaned up at our costs so help from council and the community to find out who is responsible for dumping rubbish is much appreciated.”

Casey councillor Damien Rosario said the city shared the concerns of residents.

He said it was the owner’s responsibility to maintain and clean the site and there was little the council could do.

“It is disappointing that the site is in such a condition,” he said.

“We have been working with the landowner for some time to address the concerns that have been raised by the community.

“An inspection was carried out on August 25 and found that the landowner had addressed the pothole and litter complaints.

“(The) council will also remove the graffiti free of charge, once the landowner grants it permission to do so.”