Locals concerned about welfare of development

PORTARLINGTON residents are concerned about the number of residential developments being constructed on the edge of the Portarlington Recreation Reserve.

Celia Adams, who lives in Welfare Street across the road from where the development is taking place, believed the houses were being constructed on landfill, which included an old VW (Volkswagen car), pieces of concrete, fridges and the like.

“When we objected to a planning permit application to subdivide one of the blocks, part of our objection was based on the concern that the land was possibly unsound to build on, along with concern about losing our view of the reserve,” Ms Adams said.

“There were also objections regarding the degradation of the natural environment, as the land backs on to the Portarlington Recreation Reserve, which is adjacent to the Point Richard’s nature reserve where the habitat to the endangered growling grass frog is protected.”

Ms Adams said the City of Greater Geelong assured her that the engineer’s report regarding the land proved that it was sound to build on, but she and other local residents had their doubts.

“We wonder whether the owners of the land know its history of land filling, and if they did would they have bought it in the first place?” she said.

“Did council sell it to them with full disclosure of the nature of the land?”

However, the city’s director of planning and development Kelvin Walsh said the proposed development at 31 Welfare Street had been assessed against the Planning Scheme and was found to meet the relevant provisions and policies.

“Objections received were considered during the planning application’s assessment, and objectors were given an opportunity to appeal the City’s decision to support the proposal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT),” Mr Walsh said.

“With no appeals lodged with VCAT, a Planning Permit was issued.

“Both the city and the property owners were aware that some of the land contains fill, and there is a requirement for this to be addressed at the Building Permit stage in the form of a geotechnical investigation.”