“A parking lot”: What it’s like living and working near a major SRL development site in the eastern suburbs

Metro Hobbies’ Box Hill store - with its diecast trucks, cars, planes and trains; jigsaws; model kits; LEGO; slot cars; and action figures - has been a magnet for enthusiasts in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and beyond for decades.

However, after more than 35 years based in Box Hill, owner David May and his wife Candice are closing the doors and relocating stock to their stores in Notting Hill and the CBD.

Why? Among the factors is the impact of the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East development.

“Congestion in Box Hill is continually increasing and Station Street resembles a parking lot more and more,” he told the Eastern Melburnian. “Customers were quite often proud to tell us how far they travelled to visit us, which is still humbling to hear.

“These words, however, are now starting to be replaced with ‘I try to avoid Box Hill these days’.”

What is SRL East?

SRL East is the first stage of the Suburban Rail Loop project, with 26km of twin tunnels connecting six new underground stations from Cheltenham to Box Hill.

The project also plans to deliver 70,000 new homes.

In Box Hill, this would see high-rise buildings of up to 40 storeys. Structure plans and planning scheme amendments are expected to be finalised in 2026.

Living near a major development site

Box Hill North resident Heidi Krejcar said she and her family were looking into moving after living in the area for 47 years following the stress of what she described as a “lack of genuine community consultation”.

“I feel ignored, I feel demoralised,” she said.

Krejcar expressed concern about the impact of construction on her young children.

“In terms of day-to-day living, my children have not been able to play in the front yard for close to 12 months … because they get coated in diesel dust and road dust,” she said.

“They would come in, and the inside of their nostrils would be black.”

As for a longer term view, she said: “My children are going to be saddled with generations of debt because of this train set.”

How will the development impact the local housing market?

Noel Jones Whitehorse Senior Property Consultant, Angela Athanasiadis, said there were ongoing impacts to businesses, and that the works had seen an exodus of long-time homeowners in the area.

“We are meeting many locals in the area that have been in Box Hill 20 years wanting to escape the hustle and bustle,” she told the Eastern Melburnian. But on the flipside, she said, there had been significant international interest in development in the area.

A SRLA spokesperson said they had been engaging with local community and traders since initial construction began in 2022.

“We’re working to minimise disruption as much as possible and our dedicated team is working directly with Box Hill businesses to deliver tailored support including providing vouchers, advertising campaigns, and supporting local events,” the spokesperson said.