By Alesha Capone
Wyndham council will require developers of new estates to deliver parks and open spaces at the same time as roads and other infrastructure, under a changed policy.
Mayor Josh Gilligan said that he recently became aware that residents of the Rothwell East area in Tarneit were still awaiting construction of a park, which the council had approved back in February 2017.
Rothwell Estate is owned by property developer Dacland.
In the past, the council has allowed estate developers to provide a financial bond, amounting to 150 per cent of the costs of the works of a park, before constructing the actual park or open space.
Once the developer had constructed the park or open space to the council’s satisfaction, the bond is returned.
However, under the changed policy, the council will remove the ability for developers to provide security bonds, instead requiring them to deliver parks and open spaces at the same time as roads and other infrastructure, in order to get planning approval.
“A liveable city is one that sees parks and open space constructed at the same time as the estate roads to your new home,” Cr Gilligan said.
“We’re now requiring developers to construct parks and open space at the same as roads and essential infrastructure for future estates in Wyndham.”
Cr Gilligan said that in the case of the as-yet-unbuilt Rothwell park, the developer “has failed Rothwell residents by not delivering the park they’ve paid for and that’s why we’re intervening in this estate”.
Last month, the chairman of the Liberal Party Tarneit Branch, Preet Singh, submitted a question about the unconstructed Rothwell park during a council meeting.
At the time, the council’s chief executive Kelly Grigsby said that Dacland had advised the council that due to the current economic downturn, the construction of parks at the estate would begin in October and finish in April next year.
Star Weekly contacted Dacland for comment.
