MELTON residents fear plans for two new suburbs in Diggers Rest and Rockbank North will increase pressure on local roads and services.
Planning Minister Matthew Guy last week approved two precinct structure plans (PSPs), outlining infrastructure including two primary schools, a secondary school, town centres and an east-west arterial road for the new Rockbank North.
Rockbank North is projected to have 6650 houses for more than 20,000 people in the next 20 years, while Diggers Rest will have 3800 new houses for 11,000 residents in the next 25 years.
Included in the plans for Diggers Rest are new commercial, retail and community facilities.
But Diggers Rest Residents Association president Leone Downey says she’s greatly concerned about the planned growth due to an existing lack of services.
‘‘Our population is ageing. There’s no transport between Diggers Rest and Melton,’’ she said.
‘‘The council does provide a community bus service but only for those with a disability or who are aged. The only option is to drive.’’
Ms Downey said that while growth would create employment in the area, a lack of infrastructure in one of Australia’s fastest-growing shires was already a major problem.
‘‘We have no services in the area. We have to travel to Moonee Ponds for specialist medical service,’’ she said. ‘‘There’s a cloud of apathy over the whole area. We need infrastructure here first before starting all the development.’’
She said the residents association had petitioned local, state and federal governments to increase public transport but had not received a response.
Rockbank resident Anne Nappi also said she was uneasy about how continued growth would affect the area.
But Melton mayor Justin Mammarella said the council had worked very hard to advocate to the state government for approval of the PSPs. ‘‘This announcement is wonderful news for the municipality and will allow for the further expansion of our growing community.’’
Mr Guy said residents could be moving into some of the new suburbs within two years. They would be provided with ‘‘sophisticated’’ town centres, a range of housing, good services and land set aside for local employment.
‘‘There is no use in responding to population growth after it has occurred,’’ Mr Guy said.
Opposition planning spokesman Brian Tee said infrastructure remained a pressing issue in the outer suburbs: ‘‘People are getting frustrated that we just keep opening up land for development without getting this in place.’’
