By Christine de Kock
A CAMPAIGNwas launched in the City of Maribyrnong last week to reduce truck traffic there by 30 per cent.
Deputy mayor Michael Clarke has formed the organisation Containers Out with a small group of residents.
“The first and most powerful thing we can do is stop new container yards from springing up,” he said.
Cr Clarke has not broached the campaign with council officers but intends to urge the council to review its Municipal Strategic Statement as it relates to Industrial Land Use Strategy “with a view to rezoning much of our industrial land”.
He acknowledged that local industries provided economic value to the area but said the municipality did not need “large tracts of under-utilised industrial zoned land that can legally be used as container parks”.
“Unfortunately, it seems VCAT has approved new container parks because our own rules allow them to,” he said.
Cr Clarke intends lobbying the State Government to support changes to zoning and provide incentives for container companies to move out.
“Council and the community need a partnership approach with industry to highlight the cost benefits of moving container parks to more appropriate locations.”
Paul De Lutis, property developer for the De Group, said he welcomed Cr Clarke’s action.
At present the Bradmill site in Francis St, Yarraville, is in an industrial zone.
Mr De Lutis intends to put forward an application to the council to have the land rezoned residential and develop a mixed-use facility on the site.
Mr De Lutis is considering residential development for the site in addition to a child care centre, medical centre and learning hub.
“The site has become outdated as an industrial site,” he said. “Community needs have changes in the last 60 years.”
The site now employs about 50 people. They will be moved to another site within Footscray where they will undertake research and development related to fabric.
Neil Chambers, deputy CEO of the Victorian Transport Association, said the group was already working with the State Government “to discuss the future of the freight industry and interaction with the surrounding communities”.
He said it would be important for Cr Clarke to also speak to the freight industry as part of his campaign.
“The container parks don’t have an association like ours,” he said.
Mr Chambers said there were a number of container parks in the municipality because of close access to the Port of Melbourne, and operating costs were cost effective.
Cr Clarke criticised the anti-truck campaign being run by MTAG, which held a public forum last Saturday.
“You read Peter Knight’s letter (to local papers) and he says things like the Bracks Government intervened through VCAT overturning the council’s decision to ban container parks,” Cr Clarke said referring to MTAG’s president.
“What I say is: No, Peter, VCAT is a court, courts in this country are at arm’s length from governments of any political persuasion.”
Mr Knight said he knew what “separation of powers is, I don’t appreciate his patronizing tone and what I said was that VACT had intervened to overturn a council decision”.
