By Peter Douglas and Kath Gannaway
AMBULANCE Victoria has been rewarded for its lengthy, arduous bid for a modern station in the Dandenong Ranges, with Yarra Ranges Council paving the way for a new purpose-built facility in Tecoma.
After last year failing in its bid to build a station at Rocksleigh Avenue in Tecoma, Ambulance Victoria will finally get its wish to relocate operations from a substandard, non-compliant premises at Bayview Road, Belgrave.
The proposed station is set to be located on the north-west corner of the intersection of Collier Avenue and Rutherford Road, Tecoma, with the proposal aiming to deliver optimal ambulance response times and modern facilities for paramedics and staff.
The proposal includes construction of a single-storey building, a new 3.5m wide accessway, a second driveway and eight car spaces.
Works will also include removal of trees, the sealing of Collier Avenue and installation of nearby traffic lights along Burwood Highway, which will be made available to paramedics.
Despite 12 objections coming from the community, Yarra Ranges Council voted unanimously to allow the project to progress.
At council’s 13 December meeting, Mayor Noel Cliff urged support for the move.
“To have an ambulance service in your town is so wonderful,” he said.
“I believe this ambulance station will be a wonderful asset for the community and something I would ask my fellow councillors to support.”
Five objections were received to the proposal, with one objection being a petition with seven signatures, taking the total objections to 12.
Among the issues raised include the tree removal, construction in a low-density residential zone, traffic access, parking, noise, property devaluation and potential for increased bushfire risk.
However, Cr Cliff said those fears would be allayed as the station became part of the community.
“In other ambulance stations I have been associated with – in areas where they have received a bit of flack – the same people who have spoken against them have come to apologise because they now have a service for any event,” Cr Cliff said.
“Ambulances are not like firetrucks, in terms of lights and sirens, ambulances won’t be coming back after every call.
“When out on a job, they finish, get another job and go out again.”
Ambulance Victoria has advised they always adopt an attitude of caution and respect towards the neighbourhoods in which they operate.
They said paramedics were not required to respond to emergencies with lights and sirens, with lights being able to work independently of the sirens.
Ambulance Victoria anticipated the use of lights and sirens will be infrequent, while estimates – gathered from the Belgrave site – suggest they will receive around eight call-outs daily, with 45 per cent being classified as a life-threatening emergency.
Also, they assured the design and scale of the station will keep in with the existing character of the area.
Addressing council, objector Steven Damm cited transport noise as his main concern.
“We don’t just have this one development – the former employment service is about to be opened as a childcare centre – and users will have to park both sides of the road, and the ability to get to Burwood Highway will be limited,” he said.
“If we have the ambulance station, noise levels will be high.
“The combination of these things removes most of the amenity we have in place.
“It will affect our property values, with the noise levels and traffic issues we are going to face.”
Another objector, Barry Mayne, said the development didn’t suit with the area’s character.
“Why are we allowing commercial development, wouldn’t it be better on Burwood Highway where you have clear access,” he said.
Council’s decision comes after controversy that surrounded the original proposed site at Rocksleigh Avenue, Tecoma.
A vocal group of residents rallied and spoke out about the site, citing multiple issues, including the site not being suitable for a commercial entity.
