Speak up over port plan

– Sarah Schwager
CASEY residents are urged to get their submissions in for the Port of Hastings Land Use and Transport Strategy.
There has been much uproar in the community, especially around Cranbourne and the coastal villages, after a November 2006 deadline was announced for submissions, just days after many people learnt of the proposal.
Residents are concerned about a rail link identified in the plan, which they say could see people’s homes lost or devalued, and the environmental impacts of dredging and ships in the bay.
Last month the News reported that the deadline had been extended to 14 March this year to allow time for more community feedback.
It was still significantly less than the six months asked for by residents at a meeting in Cardinia two weeks ago.
In lieu of the approaching deadline, another meeting has been organised for Wednesday, 17 January in Cranbourne.
This will be the third public meeting regarding the port proposal and will be held at 7.30pm at the Cranbourne Public Hall in the High Street.
Port of Hastings chief executive officer Ralph Kenyon welcomed the contributions provided so far by local residents and interested stakeholders, in particular those who attended public meetings in Hastings, Crib Point, Tyabb, Pearcedale, Frankston and Cranbourne over the past two months.
“The purpose of the consultation is to ensure all interested parties have an opportunity to have a say,” Mr Kenyon said.
Mr Kenyon said the draft strategy was the Port of Hastings response to the Victorian Government’s ports policy, the Victorian Ports Strategic Framework, which identified Hastings as the preferred site for the future development of container handling facilities to complement container facilities located at the Port of Melbourne.
“We anticipate the Port of Hastings will eventually be needed to help Victoria to deal with continuing rapid trade growth beyond 2030,” he said.
“It is important that we plan now to identify the necessary land and transport access options to be preserved to allow for the establishment of container handling facilities at Hastings in the future.”
The draft strategy highlights Long Island as the preferred precinct for port development, upgrades to the Westernport Highway as the major road transport link to Melbourne, and in the long term a new rail link connecting Hastings with Dandenong via Clyde and Gippsland via Pakenham.
The draft strategy is available on the Port of Hastings Corporation website at www.portofhastings.vic.gov.au or copies can be obtained by calling the Port of Hastings Corporation on 5979 5500.
Written submissions for the 14 March deadline should be sent to: Ralph Kenyon, CEO, Port of Hastings Corporation, 2/184 Salmon Street, Hastings, Victoria 3915.