Zoe Moffatt
After decades of uncertainty, residents of Jacksons Hill will have to keep waiting for the completion of a road out the estate, with council pushing back the completion to 2029.
At a meeting on May 13, council voted to delay the plans for the road construction between Yirrangan and Watsons roads by a further five years.
This decision went against the officer’s recommendation to defer delivery of the road connection pending development of the Sunbury South precinct structure plan and an approved cultural heritage management plan (CHMP).
The recommendation to re-profile the project within council’s 10-year capital works program to recommence in 2031-32, and redirect the $3.2 million of funding was also rejected by councillors.
An alternative motion was moved by councillor Trevor Dance, who said the community has been promised this over and over again.
Cr Dance’s motion was to retain the design and delivery of Yirrangan Road to Watsons Road connection for 2026-29, with the total project cost of $28.13 million, submit the CHMP assessment report to Registered Aboriginal Party seeking their approval report to council of the outcome and required next steps.
“In effect the officer’s recommendation pushes this out for another possible 15 years into the 2032-39 period,” he said.
“That will be nearly 50 years since this whole process started at an estimated cost of $36.62 million.
“If it had been done back in June 2022-23, it would have been at $22.19 million … This is why I’ve raised this alternative motion, to ensure it happens.
“When the new car park opens and the new estate grows … the traffic will continue to grow rapidly, it will be a mess.
“This much needed infrastructure provides a crucial link to Sunbury south and access for both the third railway crossing and Calder Highway.”
Cr Dance said it’s also about integrity and how the public perceives council after all the promises over the many years.
“The local residents of the Sunbury community as a whole have been promised that this project would go ahead and it should go ahead. Now.”
