Montgomery Park Redevelopment

The development of the new kindergarten does not require a planning permit. The kindergarten is being built by the Victorian School Building Authority on behalf of the Minister for Children and planning permits are not required for their developments.

The VSBA and Council thoroughly assessed different park sections, considering the impact on trees, amenities, and underground infrastructure. The chosen location balances preserving green spaces, and minimising tree loss with accommodating the new kindergarten facility.

Environmental experts were consulted to minimise ecological impact and ensure alignment with sustainability goals and community values. The current kindergarten building, and yard will be returned to open space, resulting in a minor loss of available space.

Due to Melbourne Water requirements relating to a large sewer easement running diagonally from the northeast to southwest within the park, locating the new kindergarten on the existing kindergarten site or the originally identified location on the Master Plan was not feasible. Constraints relating to the depth and angle of footings, the proximity of new structures to the underground infrastructure and the size of the new building necessitated
selecting a different area within the park. This decision ensures classrooms have access to outdoor play spaces and does not impact essential existing infrastructure like the playground, rotunda, public toilets, and barbeque area.

As this is a modular building which is mostly constructed offsite, there is minimal time needed onsite. Site works began in mid-August with building delivery completed in mid-September. The building is due to be completed in mid-January. We are fully committed to maintaining a safe and conducive environment for all children and community during construction. All activities will adhere to EPA-regulated work hours. Additionally, all equipment used will comply with EPA noise regulations to ensure minimal disruption. 

The construction area will be clearly demarcated and secured with fencing, with no workers or equipment operating outside this zone. 

Access to the park will be maintained throughout construction.   

The modular building has been mostly constructed offsite, significantly reducing the impact and disruption to the community. The building is due to be completed in mid-January. The VSBA are fully committed to maintaining a safe and conducive environment for the community during construction.

During the construction process, there will be a number of days when the streets will be closed to all except residents. Traffic controllers will be in place during these closures to ensure smooth access for residents and notice will be provided to confirm when this activity will take place. All construction noise will strictly adhere to EPA regulations.

Given the extent of underground service infrastructure and the need to ensure that upgrading and varying this infrastructure is protected into the future, the location of the new kindergarten is different from that shown on the Montgomery Park Master Plan.

The revised location will not impact the ability to achieve the Master Plan objectives, especially as the existing kindergarten will be demolished and reinstated as open space. In early 2025, Council will commence a process of undertaking further concept designs to progress the master plan implementation to the next stage, which will include community engagement.

As Moonee Valley's population grows, there is a need to balance competing community needs. The location of the new kindergarten balances the Council's obligations to support early years learning while providing sufficient open space. 

Throughout the construction period, local access will be maintained at all times. Access to the park, Kindergarten, Children’s Centre, Maternal and Child Health Centre, and Traffic School will remain unchanged for most of the construction.

As a part of the kindergarten redevelopment project, Council has identified a number of trees that are impacted as part of the works. Replacement plantings will occur in the vicinity to offset any tree loss.

The tree removal plan, conducted by independent arborists, affects 19 trees which equates to 9.79% of the total trees within the reserve. All 19 trees will be replaced and all trees with very high retention value remain untouched. All other trees will remain untouched.

While 2 trees directly in front of the building have been removed, 2 new trees will be planted as replacements. A smaller tree has also been removed for disability car parking. The new location reduces the number of significant trees removed compared to the original Master Plan.

The VSBA will replace all removed trees, and Council will contribute to planting offsets. Council’s Parks and Gardens and Open Space teams are in the early stages of considering tree and planting plans and will consult with the community to determine the best locations for planting both within the park and potentially on local nature strips within the surrounding streets where appropriate.

In addition to the tree plan, the fauna management plan ensures that all necessary assessments and actions are undertaken to minimise any impact on local wildlife. This also involves having a wildlife handler onsite during removals as an additional precaution.

It is not uncommon to find some level of soil contamination within Council reserves. Some soil contamination and potential asbestos fragments were identified during the site assessment. As the
health and safety of the local community is the top priority of Council and the VSBA, residents can be assured, all contaminated soil and asbestos will be safely removed in strict accordance with
occupational health and safety and environmental protection regulations.

This removal process will begin shortly after the commencement of onsite works, tentatively scheduled for mid-August 2024. The VSBA are collaborating with an independent occupational hygienist to ensure the removal is managed appropriately. A licensed asbestos removalist has been engaged for the task, and their work will be closely supervised by the independent occupational hygienist, who will also conduct air monitoring to ensure the safety of everyone involved and the surrounding community.

A soil management plan is being delivered as part of this project to ensure the ongoing safety for all users.