Greater Dandenong Council is set to sell-off land once earmarked for being a key pedestrian link in central Dandenong.
At a 13 October meeting, councillors endorsed selling 275 Lonsdale Street, next to Vanity Lane, as “surplus to council’s requirements”.
In the lead-up, about a dozen traders and property owners petitioned against the sale.
They argued that the link would draw pedestrians from Thomas Street into “underutilized” parts of Lonsdale Street.
“Now, after years of waiting, we are disappointed to learn that Council is considering selling this strategically located property,” the petition stated.
“This move contradicts the original intention and will likely deny Lonsdale Street the opportunity to fully recover and thrive.”
There were also two submissions in favour.
Cr Bob Milkovic said it was time for the council to “cut its losses” after originally buying the site for about $1 million.
Push-back from traders had made it hard to proceed, even to demolish the building, he said. It left the site idle, neither making money or serving any purpose, he said.
“When a project is completely off-track, we just need to cut our losses.”
Cr Sean O’Reilly agreed that the council was better off focusing on the rest of its “full plate” of capital works projects.
“We wouldn’t want this council to say let’s keep spending, buying and racking up the sorts of levels of debts we see in state and federal governments.”
In opposition, Cr Rhonda Garad said the “extremely short-sighted” move would deprive the only pedestrian link between proposed 700 new dwellings in the Capital Alliance development in Little India and a planned redevelopment of Dandenong Market.
“Why on earth would you cut off the main conduit between those two?”
She hinted that a “large area of residential development” was being planned at the Market.
“If we don’t have the money… why don’t we think outside the square?” she said, suggesting a partnership with commercial developers in Vanity Lane.
In 2019, the council purchased the fire-damaged site with a view to integrate it into Vanity Lane.
However last year, the council voted to stop the project and reallocate funds to cover a $6.4 million blowout in the long-delayed Dandenong New Art Gallery works.
According to council officers, the Vanity Lane project – with detailed design work about 75 per cent complete – faced a $1 million-plus shortfall.
It also had a safety flaw in the design, with waste vehicles and loading vehicles sharing the pedestrian space.
A council website describes 275 Lonsdale Street as a “site of historic significance” – the home of pharmacies run by the notable Couve and McKeon families as well as a state-significant botanical collection.
A pair of boys from the Couve family were among the first from Dandenong killed at Gallipoli in World War I.
