Friends of Lorne Parade Inc take Legal Action against Vic Govt Abuse of Power.

Planning Amendment 52.03 Turns Reserve and Residential Streets into Railway Super Station

Friends of Lorne Parade Reserve Inc. (FOLPR) have launched an action in the Supreme Court of Victoria against Planning Minister, Richard Wynne, to bring the government to task for the abuse of power and lack of consultation over the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) at Surrey Hills and Mont Albert.

The LXRP is removing 2 Level Crossings and 2 Railway Stations in Surrey Hills and Mont Albert which are being replaced with one invasive ‘superstation’. Local Public Reserve and residential streets will be permanently lost. The community has raised serious concerns and provided extensive feedback on the detrimental impact of the project – only to be stonewalled as the LXRP continue to ride rough shod over the community concerns.

The Andrew’s Government New Planning Amendment 52.03 gives unprecedented and unchecked power to the Planning Minister and the LXRP. Detrimental effects upon surrounding local streets, homes, parks and businesses are airbrushed away. Consideration for residential amenity, liveability and Governments own Planning strategies have been swept aside. Our local community is being bullied by the theft of Public Assets and amenity including the Lorne Parade Reserve, 550 canopy trees, local streets and an Avenue of Honour Memorial.

President FOLPR and long-time local resident Kirsten Langford said – “We are making a stand to question the validity of both Planning Amendment 52.03 and consequent lack of consultation on the Surrey Hills and Mont Albert LXRP Project. We support the removal of unsafe level crossings. We do not support the LXRP single station design solution or the theft of our public open spaces, our streets and our historic trees.”

· LXRP’s community consultation process is one sided, arrogant and continues to wreak havoc in Surrey Hills and Mont Albert. Community concerns continue to be airbrushed away as significant canopy trees start to be clear felled on the project.

· The Andrew’s Government has broken their election promise to retain the 2 railway stations at Surrey Hills and Mont Albert, instead inserting one ‘superstation’ into the Lorne Parade Reserve and residential streets.

· Lorne Parade Reserve will be lost with the majority of usable open space being turned into a station entrance, station access paths, electrical buildings, bus stop, kiss & ride, bicycle storage lockers and bicycle paths.

· Over 600 mature and majestic large canopy trees in the Reserve and surrounding streets will be forever lost to the community, a great many over 120 years old. Another 100 are up for review and may also go. Expert valuation of significant canopy trees across the project area, lost to the community is in excess of $30M.

· Less than 5% of trees in Lorne Parade Reserve are confirmed retained with a clear fell approach to tree removal as seen on previous LXRP and Big Build projects such as Gandolfo Gardens.

· A 100+ year Ironbark tree, home to a Tawny Frogmouth family for the last 25 years, currently has a nest with chicks and will be culled. The Frogmouth family will leave the area permanently if this habitat is removed.

· FOLPR has prepared a detailed map of trees being culled in the Reserve in response to vague and simplistic pictures masquerading as LXRP consultation.

· The Churchill Street Avenue of Honour planted to remember a group of brothers who fought in WW1, one whom died at the Gallipoli landing, is under threat with trees currently being felled.

· Many major ‘Design Enhancements’ are introduced after the official consultation period ended and after the Minister approved the project on 4 July 2021.

· Vague artistic concept pictures are passed off by the LXRP as community consultation

· Complete lack of Consultation by the LXRP - Montrose and Wilson Street residents learned that a new station entrance would be inserted into their street metres from their homes 48 hours before the LXRP announcement

· Final designs for Lorne Parade, Beresford Street and Sunbury Crescent will not be released to residents until “early next year” according to residents.

· In a community meeting with Paul Hamer on 21 October 21 it was acknowledged that Covid restrictions have severely impacted Face to Face consultation including doorknocking which would normally take place on a project this magnitude. The community questions why the project has not been delayed to enable appropriate consultation.

· The Reserve was bequeathed to the local community as Public Open Space and Parkland over 100 years ago and again in the 1980s and 1990s by past Governments. It has a long history of being protected by the community, visionary State Premiers, including Rupert Hamer, Lindsay Thompson, John Cain and Joan Kirner. The Friends of Lorne Parade Reserve Inc are carrying on a long tradition of fighting to save the reserve which started in 1908.

Mont Albert Resident and spokesperson for the Railway Corridor Residents Group, Susannah Aumann said “We are witnessing environmental vandalism on streets. The impact on residents is extreme and yet the state government refuse to answer fundamental questions. I am shocked and devastated at what I am seeing unfold in Surrey Hills and Mont Albert.”

Pat Cutri “As a long-term resident of Mont Albert, I am absolutely distraught by the removal of over 550 trees in our area, particularly along Churchill Street where we have WW1 Avenue of Honour. No justification has been given by the LXRP to residents for the blatant “moonscaping” of the area and subsequent loss of amenity.”

Resident and Vice President of FOLPR Greg Gunn “Our open green space is precious –It is not ok to steal parks – when it’s gone, it’s gone forever for our kids and kid’s kids. Offsetting Public Open space with scattered postage stamps of land are not a replacement for open green space such as Lorne Parade Reserve.”

President FOLPR and long-time local resident Kirsten Langford, says “Our local Public Reserve, Trees and streets are not free for the Andrews Government to take and tick off their ‘BIG BUILD Projects’ list. Communities rely upon proper Planning Laws to protect reckless Governments from abusing Public Assets. This is not how any Government should act. “We want a better outcome for our community and demand that the government return to the drawing board on this project, get the station out of our park and residential streets and save our historic canopy trees.