Centre put on hold

By Tania Martin
A MONTROSE medical centre expansion has been put on hold as Yarra Ranges Council calls for an alternative entry and exit route for the clinic.
The proposal would see the existing medical centre at 3 Swansea Road expand to include to 5-7 Swansea Road.
It would include four consulting rooms, a nurse treatment room and toilet facilities.
The new extension would also have an internal direct access to the existing centre.
An extra 25 new car parking spaces will also be added to the current 15 spaces to allow for up to 40 vehicles.
But despite the developer agreeing to remove the pharmacy, private waiting and pathology rooms, the extension has been halted for further investigations.
Streeton Ward councillor Noel Cliff said the only concern he had about the application was the need for an alternative entry and exit point in order to avoid disruption to Swansea Road traffic from patients leaving the clinic.
This comes as the council received eight objects with the majority of nearby residents raising concerns over the increase in traffic along that section on Swansea Road.
Objector Chris Dowling said the expansion would have a serious impact on the amenity of the street.
“By doing this it would be providing an acceptable increase of traffic in our street leading to congestion and safety issues,” she said.
She said the extension would completely negate the council measures already put into place to slow traffic down in that section of the road.
Ms Dowling said there is currently a speed hump, six residential driveways and cars continually parked along the street, causing the area to be clogged.
“Unfortunately, the provision for parking at the library and the town centre are inadequate and Swansea Road always takes the majority of the overflow,” she said.
Ms Dowling said the only option to fix these traffic congestion problems was for the medical centre to provide an exit point onto Leith Road instead of Swansea.
Speaking for the developer, John Harding-Smith said it was well recognised that there was a shortage of doctors in the area.
He said the expansion would help to address this issue.
“It needs to be conveniently located and the design is complimentary surrounding areas and is low scale in structure,” Mr Harding-Smith said.
He said it would be well landscaped and ample off street parking would be provided.
“Swansea Road is capable of coping with the increase traffic,” Mr Harding-Smith.