A row of four small houses being built at Valley Views estate inPakenham. By Sarah Schwager
LOCALS fear tiny “doll’s houses” being built in new estates will devalue Pakenham, as urban growth sprawls through the area.
Residents around the new Valley Views estate off Kennedy Road have expressed outrage at the size of the subdivisions, which they say will spoil Pakenham’s charms.
Nearby resident Jenny Cal said the size of the lots and buildings at the estate were ridiculously small.
“They’re like little doghouses. They don’t even fit a bed in the bedroom,” Mrs Cal said.
But Cardinia Shire governance and communications manager Doug Evans said the size of the lots at Valley Views were well within the State Government’s planning scheme guidelines.
Mr Evans also said that as part of the CaseyCardinia growth corridor, Pakenham had to provide houses for all buyers.
“There are different markets to cater for,” Mr Evans said.
“We need a wide variety of lots to meet various demands for first home buyers to second and third home buyers.
“Obviously the price ranges for those buyers vary dramatically.”
Population and household forecasts provided by forecast.id show that in 2001, 12,983 people lived in Pakenham. In 2006 that figure is expected to rise to 20,967 and in 2011 to 30,743 people.
The number of households in Pakenham is also set to double this year from five years ago.
Mr Evans said council had to take these figures into account when thinking about providing housing, services and facilities for incoming residents.
“In Cardinia we have 1600 houses going up each year,” he said.
“Twentyfive families are moving in each week.”
But Mrs Cal said she did not see how such small houses could be inviting to home buyers.
“It’s really shocking,” she said.
“There’s so much land out where we are.”
She said other residents had expressed disappointment that council was allowing such small subdivisions to get through the planning stages.
Another resident who lives near the estate, who did not wish to be named, said the new estate would devalue the area.
“It’s a bit sad, really,” she said.
“You’ve got views of Pakenham up here and they’re filling it up with small houses and blocks.”
She said the houses at Valley Views were smaller than some units.
“They need to be in an area where units are needed.”
Mr Evans said the State Government’s 2030 plan had designated for the growth corridor, which runs from Beaconsfield through to Pakenham, to be made up of residential subdivisions.
“If people are looking for residential rural properties they need to look outside the growth corridor,” he said.
