A Kangaroo Flat dust-up is on the verge of entering state parliament.
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Keith Eddy has circulated a petition bearing the signatures of 50 residents of Weir Court, Alder Street and Aspinall Street calling on the Legislative Assembly to take immediate action about “constant dust storms” caused by the construction of a housing development.
The Weir Court resident said he would get 70 more signatures from those streets before submitting their grievances to Spring Street.
“We’re all being affected by the clay dust,” Mr Eddy said.
“We’re all breathing it, you can feel it in your eyes.”
The retiree said residents were concerned about the health effects of the clay dust as well as its impacts on their properties.
“I’m an asthmatic, the bloke down the road is an asthmatic, there’s are a number of kids with asthma,” he said.
“All of our houses are covered in it, our coolers are covered in two inches of clay.”
Mr Eddy said the constant passage of heavy trucks and machinery was also damaging the surrounding streets.
The City of Greater Bendigo approved an application by Spiire Australia to subdivide 51 Alder Street and 11-13 Weir Court into 21 lots in December last year.
Spiire senior associate Steve Pole responded to an interview request by issuing a statement on the Kangaroo Flat subdivision.
“In regards to the subdivision works at Alder Street Kangaroo Flat, we are aware of the issue and our engineers have been in contact with council and the contractor,” Mr Pole said.
“We understand council have investigated the matter and are satisfied that the contractor is meeting their requirements for these works.”
Mayor Margaret O’Rourke met with Mr Eddy and concerned residents yesterday.
She said the city was aware of the situation and making sure the developer was abiding by its contractor management plan.
“We’ve had people out there at different times when an issue has been raised by residents and we’ve spoken to them,” the mayor said.
“But the developer is the first responsible party.
“If there is an issue with the contractor, residents need to be working with the developer, that’s where they need to take their concerns back to.”
Cr O’Rourke said if residents were concerned about a development deteriorating local roads they should gather evidence of traffic movement.
“He said, she said situations are hard to monitor, if there is evidence [of road damage] that needs to be gathered,” she said.
That area of Kangaroo Flat is currently experiencing intense development. The property bordering the 21-lot subdivision on Alder Street is being developed into an aged care facility. On the other side of the roundabout on Aspinall Street 80 new houses will be built on a block of bushland owned by the Catholic Church.
That development began earlier this year after an eight-year-long legal stoush against community opposition.