Casey councillor Steve Beardon wants council to fence off or demolish unsafe or abandoned properties that are earmarked for development, such as this derelict house in Cranbourne. Picture: Mike Richards.
By Alison Noonan
CRANBOURNE’S ‘haunted house’ has become a nightmare for residents who fear squatters have taken over the derelict property.
Maurice Penn said he was embarrassed to live next door to the eyesore on the corner of Russell Street and Clarendon Street, which has been vacant for more than a year waiting to be developed into a four-unit block.
Mr Penn claimed every window in the weatherboard house had been smashed, the walls punched in, the fittings ripped out, doors torn off and piles of rubbish dumped inside.
“This property was on the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay route. What a disgrace,” he said.
“The only word to describe this house is a dump. It is opposite the primary school and kids are playing in the rubbish and broken glass.
“Squatters have been sleeping inside. We have had enough. We shouldn’t have to live near this.”
Mr Penn said residents have been calling for council to demolish the house and were frustrated at its failure to act.
“It’s a safety hazard but no one will do anything about it. The fact that it hasn’t been bulldozed is unbelievable.
“The developers don’t plan to knock it down anytime soon and we are sick and tired of approaching council.
“The whole thing is getting beyond a joke,” he said.
Casey councillor Steve Beardon said he sympathised with residents who were forced to live near the potential health and safety hazard.
Cr Beardon last week called for council to create a local law authorising officers to clean up abandoned buildings earmarked for development, at a cost to the owners.
“Developers leaving their building sites in a derelict condition is a common problem in Casey.
“Council has written to the developers of the Russell Street house and they have basically ignored requests to clean up their site,” he said.
“The problem is that kiddies might think it looks like a haunted house and go inside, which is dangerous.
“We as council should be given the authority to fence off or even demolish these properties that are deemed unsafe.”
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford said he had also seen properties in Endeavour Hills and Hampton Park that were in a derelict or unsafe condition.
“The issue is mainly one of safety. Due to demolition or redevelopment, developers are taking their time to demolish the buildings.
“Because of this, we have individuals going to see what is inside and using the building.
“This would be a proactive measure to try and prevent this,” he said.
Casey manager of customer service, Rob Colling, said the council was only permitted to enter and clear a property deemed to be unsightly — not a house.
“We do not have the authority to enter the house on Russell Street to remove the squatters. We can slash the grass around the property, which we have done, and issue a notice to comply, but that is all.
“We are very limited as to what we can do from a local laws perspective,” he said.
Casey director of corporate services, Steve Dalton, said council would investigate what legal action was available to improve the safety of vacant properties set for development.
“We need to get some clear advice to see if there is any legislation we can use to ensure additional safety to residents,” he said.
