By Russell Bennett
More than 150 people have joined a facebook page to save a piece of Upper Ferntree Gully paradise.
The page titled Save the Glenfern Green Wedge / Cattle Run has been set up, encouraging concerned residents to discuss the future of 157-173 Glenfern Road.
The 30-hectare parcel of green wedge land looks headed for development after Hellier McFarland-Cityplan submitted an application to Knox City Council.
Some local residents have uploaded photographs to the facebook site, displaying the view of the idyllic green wedge from their properties.
“Wow! I can see why you would want to save it. Good luck in your campaign,” was posted in response to one photo.
Residents say the proposed subdivision will ruin their local area.
Local resident Keith Bettles, a fierce opponent of the proposal, said it would “surely be a precursor to further development in the years to come”.
Mr Bettles said the plan put forward to the council involves subdividing the land into seven parts of roughly four hectares each. The section of green wedge on Glenfern Road “forms the last buffer between the Urban Growth Boundary and the lower slopes of the Dandenong Ranges,” Mr Bettles said. Residents are concerned that developing the land would see the destruction of habitat for a number of endangered animal species.
Birds Australia lists more than 90 species, which call the site of the proposed subdivision home.
One of these birds is the powerful owl, which is listed as a threatened species by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
A potential stumbling block for the planned development revolves around the Aboriginal Heritage Act of 2006.
Knox City development director Angelo Kourambas said the council wrote to the land owners on 2 March, requesting additional information.
This included an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment, required by the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 and Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 2007.
Hellier McFarland requested an extension for the assessment, which must now be provided to Knox Council no later than 25 October.
Mr Kourambas said the council must receive the additional information before making a decision on the development.
The Mail contacted the planning applicant, Hellier McFarland-Cityplan, but they declined to comment.
