Thursday, 14 August 2025

Box Hill brickworks site

Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:02): My members statement is with regard to the brickworks site in Box Hill. It is parkland that was built over a quarry that was then used as a tip, so there are some fairly dangerous materials below the surface and they should not be disturbed. Unfortunately, it has been zoned for high-density housing under the Suburban Rail Loop precinct plans. However, I think there is a very strong case for that land to be made into permanent parkland. We have a rising population in Box Hill, and there is no significant provision for greater open space for that rising population. I will contrast it with other compulsory acquisition purchases that have taken place under the SRL. For example, the Waverley RSL, a living, breathing organisation, has been compulsorily acquired and will need to move. That acquisition is being negotiated at a pre-rezoning valuation, and they will be forced to acquire a new property at a post-revaluation costing, so that is clearly unfair to them. But if the Suburban Rail Loop Authority is willing to do that to a living, breathing organisation, surely it can do it to a piece of contaminated land that has not been used for 30 years and has no other practical purpose than being parkland.