We, Leif and Meagan Eriksen, are the property owners of 17 Shelley Street for the past 12 years, and we want to register our opposition to any subdivision of the land at 21-25 Shelley Street Spring Gully and the removal of any native vegetation to subdivided the bush land.
Our property at 17 Shelley Street Spring Gully is positioned next to the proposed site at 21-25 Shelley Street Spring Gully. Our property is situated on the top of the hill and runs alongside the bush land behind 19 Shelley Street and overlooks 21-25 Shelley Street.
The bushland behind 19 Shelley Street belongs to the owners of 21-25 Shelley Street, Spring Gully.
The owners previously sold 19 Shelley Street, and we are aware prior to selling the property, they had an easement removed allowing them to retain the large bush area behind 19 Shelley Street. We are also aware they did this with the intention of subdividing this land.
There is a large, established native bush land that runs behind the majority of houses on the topside of Shelley Street and meets with the bush land behind the houses along Milton Avenue. This land is largely covered by significant indigenous flora and is home to native wildlife of Bendigo. This native bush has been retained and maintained by its previous owners since the 1960's, creating and preserving a unique, tranquil and important wildlife corridor and home to many species of Bendigo's wildlife. This unique bushland creates privacy and a peaceful environment for current property owners and native animals. There are no roads or subdivisions in this bushland, meaning the wildlife corridor has been maintained allowing residents and native animals to co exist for over 60 years. We do not agree to this harmonious environment being destroyed by subdivision.
This land is home to indigenous trees, plants, bulbs, grasses and shrubs, with many indigenous only to Spring Gully. This bushland provides shelter, food, safety and homes to birds, reptiles, mammals and frogs.
The removal of any of this native vegetation for subdivision of houses puts the welfare of the current natives animals in jepodity, along with creating instability of the lands large natural water run off.
All the water from the top side of Shelley Street runs down hill towards the properties of Milton Avenue, the removal of vegetation and destabilising of the land caused by building houses can and will have negative ramifications on the current properties on Milton Avenue.
All the land along Shelley Street and down the hill beyond Milton Avenue is situated on Dead Dog Reef, a rocky ironstone bushland formed million of years ago. The ironstone sits on the surface of the land and is barely penetrable. Our fencing contractor had great difficulty building a new farm fence due to the sheer amount of hard rock that covers this entire area.
This land relies heavily on the indigenous trees, plants, grasses and shubs to maintain the current soil, leaflitter and rocks from being washed away.
This land depends on the bush to create a natural barrier to erosion.
There are no roads or houses at the back of the properties between Shelley Street and Milton Avenue. These old and tightly held properties have always had bush backyards, many without fencing so neighbouring bush merge together allowing and creating a unique, peaceful, tranquil home for native birds, reptiles and and marsupials. Echidna's and wombats use the bush behind these properties to safely live and move about without harm. Reptiles and bitds use the grass, plant life, and trees as home, shelter and a refuge from the weather.
In addition to the above, we object to subdivision at 21-25 Shelley Street due to lack off and dangerous visibility on the road in front of the said property due to a hill. It is impossible to see vehicles driving on either side of this hill that sits in front of 21-25 Shelley Street.
There are no footpaths on Shelley Street, meaning children, families, the elderly, walkers, push bikes are left to use the road. The postman also has limited visibility due to the hill.
Subdivision will create more vehicles coming and going directly onto this dangerous blind hill and incresse the risk of an accident. We have many young families moving into Shelley Street, with children walking past 21-25 Shelley Street to attend Spring Gully Primary School.
There is also a blind corner on Shelley Street leading down towards Lawson Street, creating yet another dangerous black spot. We need to restrict the movement of vehicles along Shelley Street to current residents only...not add to the problem by allowing further vehicle traffic due to subdivision.
Shelley Street sits at the top of a hill, surrounded by bush, in a High bushfire BEL rating zone. Allowing subdivision at the end of dead end battleaxe driveway
surrounded by bush, on a blind spot exit... would be a failure of the Bendigo Councils Planning Department Duty Of Care to any purchasers of this land. Additionally, this land as mentioned sits on Dead Dog Reef made up entirely of ironstone, meaning it will be nearly impossible to build on, meaning the engineering and/or building cost to the purchaser will be astronomical.
We are not negotiating on our objection to subdivision and removal of vegetation for houses at 21-25 Shelley Street Spring Gully. We are sure the adjoining residents will also be against the subdivision and removal of vegetation if they were to be made aware of the application. We have not been advised by the Bendigo Council about the subdivision application which as a rate payer is very disappointing.
We look forward to hearing from the Planning Department regarding our objective to DS/491/2023 3 lot subdivision and removal of vegetation.