By JASON TURNER
GREATER Dandenong Council has approved the sale of a Springvale street to a nearby secondary school, much to residents’ disappointment.
Last week, the council decided to discontinue its current use and gave the green light to Minaret College to buy Birch Street for $380,000.
The short street leads directly to the school’s entrance and has primarily been used for parking by school staff.
The sale allows the college to push ahead with plans to knock down two of three abutting houses it already owns, and build an expanded car park with at least 30 spaces and a drop off-pick up point for parents.
Nearby residents, however, are concerned about directly abutting the college, fearing it will devalue their properties and affect their amenity.
Claude D’Souza said he was concerned about increased noise and possible safety issues with the college as next door neighbours.
“We don’t like the idea of the school all around us. A car park right nearby is not really safe.”
The council said any problems of antisocial behaviour in the car park at night would be prevented by closing access to the area outside school hours.
Phoung Doan, owner of two neighbouring units, said real estate agents had told her bordering the school would decrease land value.
She said there was “a huge difference” between being near a school and being neighbours with it.
The school’s plans include retaining the third house, a caretaker’s residence which abuts Ms Doan’s and Mr D’Souza’s unit block, but Ms Doan was sceptical about the long-term future of the building.
“They could change their mind in the future and develop something else there and we’ll have no say,” she said.
Minaret College director Mohamed Hassan said the school was happy the council had approved sale of the street. “It’s quite important, it allows us to build more facilities.”
Mr Hassan said the inclusion of a caretaker’s residence “addressed” the concern of Ms Doan.
For all the latest breaking news, stay with this website. Also, follow the Weekly at facebook.com/dandenongjournal or on Twitter @DandyJournal.
