Lank banking leaves former Footscray institutions Little Saigon and Forges ‘derelict’ and ‘dangerous’
Footscray’s reputation as place to live and shop is being ruined by the refusal of developers to act on abandoned “bombsites” littering the suburb.
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Developers are being accused of turning parts of Melbourne’s west into “bombsites” and showing “real disrespect” to the community by allowing major landholdings to become derelict and abandoned.
The Herald Sun has seen many vacant sites across Footscray that are covered in deteriorated cladding, burnt out structures, rubbish, and graffiti.
Footscray state Labor MP Katie Hall blamed developers for allowing the sites to degenerate into “bombsites”.
In a letter to Maribyrnong City Council, Ms Hall called out the owners of the old Forges site and the Little Saigon Market to develop the sites, and urged the council to bring pressure.
Ms Hall said the properties and permits were changing hands and being renewed but developers did nothing to improve the sites.
She said the sites would need to be demolished for the permits to proceed.
“It’s not acceptable to have these major land holdings in Footscray’s CBD, 7km from the centre of Melbourne, reduced to bombsites,” Ms Hall said.
“People should feel safe but if you walk past a large block of land that has dodgy hoarding and burnt out structures which are poorly lit, it’s dangerous and you’re not going to feel safe.
“These were both once proud institutions and attractions for Footscray.”
Ms Hall said she was “frustrated” the process of land banking was allowed to take place at all.
She toured sites such as Forges and Little Saigon during a recent visit with Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny.
“I was really pleased to bring the Minister out here to show her how the system can let a community down and I think she was shocked at what she saw,” Ms Hall said.
Maribyrnong Mayor Sarah Carter recognised there were a number of derelict and vacant sites as a result of land banking and said the council had been working with developers to clean up the sites.
“Council has the ability to force land owners to maintain their site in accordance to safety regulations,” Ms Carter said.
“While we have limited powers beyond this, we support any proposed state government review into these planning laws, in particular requiring land owners to act upon building permits in a reasonable amount of time,” she said.
Three years ago, Council revised its rating structure to increase the rates paid on vacant sites – across residential, commercial and industrial – as a deterrent.
Vacant site owners pay 200 per cent of the residential rate, and 300 per cent if the site is commercial or industrial.
The Planning Minister was approached for comment.
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