Did Liberal leader Jess Wilson make a $20 million promise on Sunday she knew she’d never have to keep?
Wilson spoke at a rally at the Surrey Dive boatshed in front of a crowd Whitehorse council estimated at about 1,500 people. The gathering was in support of transforming the former Box Hill Brickworks site into parkland, and to that end Wilson said if elected in November, she’d sling Whitehorse council $20 million to remediate the site.
But there was a caveat. For council to get the $20 million, it had to first own the seven-hectare plot.
Two things stand in the way of that becoming a reality.
First, according to the state government, it would cost about $200 million for Whitehorse council to buy and decontaminate the site.
Second, even if council had that kind of spare dough in the kitty - it does not - the developer who owns the land appears to have no interest in selling, and is not even engaging with the council.
🗓️ The history: The site operated as a brickworks from 1884. Between 1988 and 1999, the former quarry was filled with construction and demolition waste, excavated soil, rock, green waste and inert industrial and household waste.
Pamacorp Pty Ltd bought the site for $4.275 million in 1993. The company was later renamed Renak Holdings and absorbed by Phileo Australia.
✅ How’d we get here? In July, Victoria’s Planning Minister approved plans allowing 95 percent of the seven-hectare site to be used for housing of 10 storeys or higher and other developments as part of the Suburban Rail Loop East plans.
🧱 Talking to a brick wall: Whitehorse mayor Kirsten Langford said council’s CEO had been given power to negotiate a purchase, but Phileo had not responded to requests to discuss a sale.
🗣️ “They have rejected our approaches because they have had the land rezoned,” she said. “Our door always remains open for negotiations with Phileo.”
Whitehorse councillors (from left) Peter Allan, Hayley Weller and Ben Stennett attended the rally alongside mayor Kirsten Langford and deputy mayor Kieran Simpson.
💰 How much money will it take? Whitehorse Council has accumulated more than $70 million from residential development through its open space development levy. It hasn’t explained how it would find the $200 million.
⏭️ What’s next? Developers can now prepare a master plan under the amended planning scheme, with the Planning Minister, rather than Whitehorse Council, making the decision.
The Eastern Melburnian has sought comment from Phileo Australia.