Star Weekly is taking a look back at the best stories of 2022. Here is a story from May we think you’ll enjoy reading again.
The state government, residents and council are clashing over the construction delay of a southern exit route and rail crossing from the Jacksons Hill estate, in a decades-old issue reignited by road and rail works in Sunbury’s centre.
For more than 10 years, Star Weekly has reported the call to build a road connecting the estate to Vineyard Road from its southern end to give residents another way to cross the rail line.
In 2012, Star Weekly reported that Hume council and estate developer Places Victoria – now Development Victoria – had “signed an agreement for a third [rail] crossing once 750 homes were built at the estate”.
Twenty-five years after the development of Jacksons Hill began in 1997, residents still leave the estate via Bellville Drive, which becomes Evans Street or The Avenue, which becomes Barkly Street.
However, where Evans Street crosses town over Gap Road and Station Street to allow residents to get over the rail line, the road will be closed from May 30 for up to four months while the Sunbury train line upgrade takes place.
Sunbury Residents Association president Graham Williams described the issue as a “long running” project by state and local government to develop a third rail crossing based on a new exit road from the estate.
“It had been planned to be finished before the [level] crossing removal project fired up and will cut the town in two, but for a variety of reasons it has been delayed and of course the crossing removal was brought forward,” Mr Williams said.
In 2018, Sunbury MP Josh Bull announced the government would provide $3.5 million to council to connect Yirrangen Road down to Buckland Way, and Hume’s 2020-21 budget included $1 million to complete the project.
Mr Bull said he had raised the matter with Hume council “countless times over many years”.
“Hume council have identified a number of issues in relation to planning of this road and indicated that these issues are actively being resolved,” Mr Bull said.
“These issues relate to land acquisition and cultural and heritage management regulations and processes that must be undertaken as per the planning process.”
Hume sustainable infrastructure and services director Peter Waite said council was “continuing to progress the required legislative approvals for the construction of the road”.
“Council officers will provide an update on the project, with a report to be presented to council in late June.”
