Heritage Springs residents have been stunned after council contractors removed several other original lamps by mistake, breaching a resolution to halt the continued removal.
Many new light poles have been installed along Heritage Boulevard over the last week as part of road safety works. Before the works stood some of the last original custom lamps that were deemed to remain untouched by Cardinia Shire Council last year.
The council is currently looking into the matter.
Estate resident Jillian Ronald was one of the first to campaign to retain the lights.
“I am disgusted with them taking out more of the lights; it appeared to be in the middle of the night,” she said.
“The question I want answered is: where have these lights gone?”
Furthering the embarrassment of the council, most of the lights have been replaced with a new pole of a different style and finish from the original and the ones previously replaced.
“The heritage lights were removed in error as part of road safety works being undertaken in the Heritage Springs estate. We’re currently looking into the matter and apologise for any concern this has caused the community. We understand the importance of these lights to the local community and concerns they have raised about the mercury vapour light replacement program,” council interim CEO Peter Benazic said.
“Council last year resolved to pause the replacement of mercury vapour lights in Heritage Springs and Lakeside estates pending the potential future approval by AusNet Services for a retrofit LED globe. We’ll continue to pause the program in line with the Council resolution until we have an outcome.”
The halt on their removal comes after community backlash that said replacements did not accord with the original streetscape.
The majority of the Collins Street-inspired lamp fittings that gave the estate character to many residents were removed last year as part of the council’s need to eliminate the now internationally banned mercury vapour lights that remain in the shire.
The pause was made via a resolution adopted at the July 2024 Council Meeting with the remaining lights to be untouched until the conclusion of a review by AusNet regarding a possible retrofit LED that could retain the fittings.
