By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
TECOMA’S controversial new ambulance station is set to start construction despite the ongoing protests of residents.
Situated in quiet Rocksleigh Avenue, Tecoma, Ambulance Victoria bought the former residential property over a year ago and recently demolished the existing building.
The planning process for the station was made particularly contentious due to a planning loop-hole which nullifies the concerns of residents.
Rocksleigh Avenue homeowner Carol Allen says that the issues of residents have been largely ignored. Her biggest concern is regarding the residential nature of the street.
“This is an area that was not intended for a commercial business. There is no footpath and no lighting on the street, making it completely inappropriate for this purpose.
“The street was never designed to accommodate traffic and that’s because it has never needed to. It services only a few homes.”
The group of vocal residents have exhausted many avenues of appeal to try to stop the construction of the station, including a letter sent on 20 December last year to Victorian Minister for Health Jill Hennessy.
The residents cited multiple issues making the site of the station inappropriate, a recurring concern being the inappropriate dimensions and location of the property.
“The residents welcome a major upgrade of an Ambulance Depot, but the residents are not at all satisfied with the choice of location.
“We hold that the positioning of the depot and the site chosen will not improve the service to hills’ residents and due to its location – having only one exit and then being between two bottlenecks.”
The Mail reported last year that Yarra Ranges Council’s Executive Officer of Planning Services, Angus McGuckian, said the structure came under laws which allowed ministers to approve essential services, such as ambulance stations. Ambulance Victoria regional manager Cath Anderson said the organisation had held consultations but were told they did not need council approval.
“Late in the planning process, after we sought a decision from the Yarra Ranges Council on our application, the council informed Ambulance Victoria that the proposed branch does not require a planning permit, as it is exempt from the requirements of the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme,” Ms Anderson said.
She said the building should be in operation by the end of the year.
“We engaged with the local community and council as part of the planning and consultation process and made amendments to the building design based on the feedback we received.
“Ambulance Victoria paramedics expect to be operating from the new Belgrave branch by the end of 2015.”
