by Cam Lucadou-Wells
Outraged residents say the last remnant Red River Gum trees in central Noble Park are set to be chopped down for an apartment tower project.
Gaye Guest said the decision to fell the two mature trees on the perimeter of the VicTrack-owned site at 51 A Douglas Street was “unacceptable on any level”.
She says the pair are the only survivors in the railway station precinct after the Government chainsawed 66 towering river gums in Noble Park as part of the Sky Rail project in 2016.
“These trees represent remnant stock of what once lined the rail corridor from Caulfield to Dandenong before 2016 and need to be preserved,” Ms Guest said.
“Urban renewal, gentrification, densification… whatever term you want to use does not excuse cutting down the last remnant river red gum trees in Noble Park’s activity centre given the history of the trees with the suburb.
“We cannot let Government and developers destroy our mature tree stock only for council to try and make amends with planting tube stock at the ratepayers’ expense.”
Ms Guest said the Government made a “mockery” of the council’s recently-introduced law to protect large trees on private land, in a bid to boost the region’s paltry canopy coverage.
“You cannot have a law that can be broken by State Government yet has to be abided by CGD residents it makes a mockery of the whole process.”
Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny approved the six-storey apartment building despite Greater Dandenong Council’s plea to amend the design to preserve the trees.
The council later stated its “strong disappointment” in the decision and the process, which “seems to have completely ignored Council’s input and opposition”.
“Two significant River Red Gums of high retention value with long life expectancies will be removed,” city planning director Jody Bosman said.
“Council strongly opposed this and sought for the development to be amended to retain these trees. This did not occur.”
Greater Dandenong also objected to the provision of just 49 car spaces for the 97-dwelling building with ground-floor retail.
It was 76 spaces short of the statutory minimum of 125.
Its design and built form also did not comply with the Noble Park Activity Centre Structure Plan or the council’s planning scheme, Mr Bosman stated.
In her published reasons, Ms Kilkenny noted public concerns about the loss of vegetation, parking reductions, excessive height and insufficient affordable housing.
The “pedestrian-focused” building “emphasises and encourages public and active transport modes through reduced car parking provisions and increased bike parking and pedestrian access”.
Ms Kilkenny also ordered “additional tree protection measures”.
In the Government’s explanatory report, the tower is described as a “priority project” which was expedited to help Victoria’s post-Covid economic recovery.
It would provide “affordable housing in a key location” and extra commercial activity on what was “underutilised” land.
Ten per cent of dwellings will be set for affordable housing for key workers or for housing or disability accommodation providers.
Under the council’s Noble Park structure plan, the project is one of seven high-rise ‘key redevelopment sites’ with preferred height limits of six storeys.
The State Government was contacted for comment.
