Growth jobs threat

By Bridget Brady
A DRAFT state report could challenge Casey Council’s plans to create 10,000 jobs at a new business park south of Berwick.
The 280 hectare site adjacent to Clyde North is called the C21 Business Park and 200 hectares of this has been designated to provide more jobs for Casey residents.
The land was set aside as a way of addressing the large number of people who left Casey to work.
But the draft report from the Victorian Growth Areas Authority (GAA), states that 85 hectares should be reserved for jobs and the rest for housing. This would reduce the number of jobs to about 4,200, the council said.
Acting chief executive of the GAA, Steve Dunn, said he supported the council’s hopes to use as much as the land as possible to create jobs.
“We totally agree with the council that it’s important to get as much employment out of that land as we can. The report isn’t finished and it is definitely not about reducing the amount of land,” Mr Dunn said.
“The planning is ongoing. It (the report) is being prepared for the GAA but we have involved Casey Council from the very beginning and they will continue to be involved.”
Springfield Ward councillor Lorraine Wreford said the council should lobby for the land to create a better balance between work and housing in Casey.
GAA data revealed only 26 per cent of Casey residents lived and worked in the municipality and about 80 per cent of people travelled more than five kilometres to work.
“It’s one thing to say let’s build houses, but where are all of these people going to work?” Cr Wreford said.
“There are a lot of people leaving Casey to work and many of them are travelling distances and this is clogging up our roads.”
Cr Wreford said it was essential the council reserved the land for the C21 Business Park to ensure Casey residents had more options to work locally.
“We need to move on this urgently.”
Casey’s manager of strategic planning, Liam Hodgetts, said the C21 Business Park was part of a long-term employment strategy.
“This land and that currently being rezoned in Cranbourne West is seen as the most important piece of future employment land for the city, securing future jobs for residents closer to home,” Mr Hodgetts said.
“Council will be requesting the GAA to ensure all of the land identified for job opportunities is retained for that purpose.”