Heatherton residents ‘distraught’ over Suburban Rail Loop plan

Outraged Heatherton residents say they’ve been “absolutely betrayed” by the state government, amid fears land earmarked for green space will become a stabling yard for the Suburban Rail Loop.

Heatherton resident Michelle told Neil Mitchell the community has been fighting for 30 years for cleanfill land on Kingston Road to become parkland.

“Our community are absolutely distraught about this because this changes our lives, it changes everything about living in this area,” she said.

Press PLAY below to hear why Michelle is fuming

About 300 homes and businesses will be compulsorily acquired, while other property owners facing years of construction chaos could voluntarily have their homes acquired rather than living with long-term construction impacts.

Nine News reporter Heidi Murphy says “there will be the traffic chaos around the construction sites, there will be all manner of problems accessing shops, accessing services, there will be noise and dust, and all manner of issues”.

“We’re talking decades and decades of impact,” she told Neil Mitchell.

Press PLAY below to hear more about the impacts the project will have

Image: Victorian Government