Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (18:29:59): My adjournment matter tonight is for the Minister for Planning, Minister Wynne, and the action I seek is for his office to urgently move to protect the heritage buildings and trees at risk due to the level crossing removals in my area.
In August I called on the Minister for Transport Infrastructure to meet directly with residents to hear their concerns about the proposed demolition of the historic signal boxes and the removal of trees at Gandolfo Gardens due to the Level Crossing Removal Project works in the Coburg area.
I also requested that the minister ensure they find an alternative site for their heavy machinery. And this is the thing—we have got these 108-year-old trees that are going to be removed so that the Level Crossing Removal Project trucks can be parked somewhere.
Those at the Level Crossing Removal Project say, ‘Well, it would cost us a lot of money to park our trucks somewhere else’.
Mr Somyurek interjected.
Ms PATTEN: This is for the Minister for Planning, thank you, Minister. The Minister for Transport Infrastructure did not act on either of my requests for a meeting so I am really calling on the Minister for Planning now to try to get this sorted, because I understand that he has intervened. Quite strangely he has sidelined the Heritage Council.
This was after the Heritage Council said that both the trees and the signal boxes should be protected. This is the week that we announced that we are not going to be logging in native forests, yet we are going to be knocking down 100-year-old trees.
So I ask if the minister will immediately step in to protect these historic signal boxes in Coburg and the 100-year-old trees in Gandolfo Gardens. The residents of Coburg have got less trees than pretty much any other suburb.
These trees are 108 years old. It took the community about 40 years to get these trees and these gardens established, and to say that they have to be knocked down so trucks can be parked for a $542 million project—surely we can find an alternative to this.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan Region
Adjournment 14/11/19
Answer
Answered: 5 February 2020
Mr WYNNE (Richmond—Minister for Housing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Planning):
I note the concerns of Ms Patten in relation to the potential impacts of the Level Crossing Removal Project on heritage buildings and trees in the Coburg area.
The Bell-Moreland Level Crossing Removal Project includes proposed works within the Upfield Railway Line corridor, which is partially included in the Victorian Heritage Register and affected by heritage overlays under the Moreland Planning Scheme. Works are also proposed in Gandolfo Gardens within the Upfield Railway Line corridor which is affected by heritage overlays.
On 27 October 2019 I approved Amendment C178more to the Moreland Planning Scheme which facilitates the project by allowing the use and development of land in accordance with the specific control in the Bell and Moreland Level Crossing Removal Project Incorporated Document, October 2019.
The incorporated document requires that a report be prepared to my satisfaction that addresses the impact of development on the heritage significance of the following local heritage places: the Tinning Street railway gates; rail sidings on Colebrook Street; the Munro Street signal box; trees affected by Heritage Overlay (HO115)—Moreland Station Precinct; the Coburg substation, Munro Street; and roads within a Heritage Overlay where roadworks would change the appearance of the place.
On 20 November 2019 I determined to amend the State heritage registration for the Upfield Railway Line. The amendment affirms the State significance of the place is associated with the nineteenth century development of the line. This is consistent with the recommendations of Heritage Victoria and the Heritage Council of Victoria, who undertook independent assessments of the line against State heritage criteria.
The amended heritage place comprises station buildings and land at Jewell, Brunswick, Moreland and Coburg Stations, and individual gatekeepers’ cabins, signal boxes, gates and signals located between Park Street, Brunswick and Bell Street, Coburg. The amendment does not include the twentieth century features, or places unrelated to the Upfield Railway Line such as the Gandolfo Gardens.
Heritage approvals under the Heritage Act 2017 will be required for any proposed works that will impact on the cultural heritage significance of places included on the Victorian Heritage Register on the Upfield Railway Line.
I will carefully assess documents submitted for my approval in accordance with the requirements of the Moreland Planning Scheme.
