A Wyndham councillor is keen to see a prime piece of Werribee land put to community use.
Mia Shaw is calling on both the state government and opposition to commit to both short-term and long-term plans for the former Glen Devon primary school site on Market Road. The school closed in 2010 and the buildings were extensively damaged by fire in late 2011.
Cr Shaw said since then, the site had become an eyesore and attracted antisocial behaviour, despite Wyndham council lobbying the education department to turn the land into a park or other community facility over the past six years.
She would also like to see the government upgrade a number of public housing properties within the former school’s vicinity to breathe new life into the neighbourhood.
“Two successive state governments have agreed that something needs to be done with this site, however I believe it has taken too long to progress the site being restored for some kind of community use,” she said.
“I believe that the inaction in relation to this site has gone on long enough and the residents who live in this area should not have to tolerate an unsightly, derelict site on their doorstep. We can’t wait another six years watching the weeds grow while the government decides what to do.”
Werribee MP Tim Pallas, who advocated for the government to make a decision about the Glen Devon site in 2012, said he recently raised the issue with the education minister.
“[He] informed me that work is still underway to determine how the site will be used into the future, as it is currently retained for possible future educational provision,” Mr Pallas said.
“The minister has also assured me that the department of education will be inspecting the site in the next fortnight to ensure it is maintained and properly secured.”
