By Natalie Gallenti
BURNSIDE Heights residents may soon be able to claim a small victory after Melton Shire Council vowed to re-open Barton Rd.
A group of angry residents have petitioned the council to reinstate the road, which was abruptly closed four months ago by Frank Muscat, director of the land’s owner, Triton Property Developments.
The residents said they were not notified prior to the closure of Barton Rd and demanded it be opened immediately to prevent further disruption to their travelling time.
“The road was closed in an ad hoc way. Gates were put up and that was it,” spokesperson Richard Ward said.
“How can someone just close a road at a whim, something is radically wrong.”
And while the council has committed to opening the road in the future, a date could not be given due to the alleged ongoing dispute between council and the developer.
Mr Ward said motorists departing eastward from the estate had been seriously impaired as they were being forced to turn left onto Taylors Rd and drive in the wrong direction before being able to do a u-turn and return to their usual route.
Prior to its closure, Barton Rd was used for all eastward departing trips.
Mr Ward said upon purchasing the land residents were not informed that this main thoroughfare would be closed and suggested the developer was holding council to ransom.
Rose Balfour, another concerned resident, described the closure as a “nuisance” and said it posed a serious traffic hazard as she had witnessed many cars take dangerous shortcuts.
“Why, when a road is built, should we not have access to it?” Mrs Balfour questioned.
“All I’m hoping for is to get it re-opened. When we bought the land in 2003, the road was opened and it should stay the way it was.”
When contacted by Star, Mr Muscat denied those claims and said he had closed the road because it was posing a safety concern for residents.
“Barton Rd was opened to the public at my own risk,” Mr Muscat said.
“It is part of my property. I witnessed drug use, syringes on the road and spoke to council and the police but no-one bothered to stop it.
“It was dangerous to the area.”
Melton Shire planning and development general manager Luke Shannon said ultimately the road would be open, when the title of the land was handed over by Mr Muscat.
“The road will be a normal public thoroughfare when the developer completes the next stage of subdivision, however a date cannot be given,” Mr Shannon said.
Mr Muscat said he would hand over the title immediately if the council was prepared to pay to complete the road.
