As many who read this blog will know Jennie & I had a meeting with one of our Managers late this afternoon to get an update on the Goodwood Junction project, including the use of Millswood Park and the impact on the Brownhill Creek project.

A short session but packed with information revealed that DPTI and indeed the Stormwater Management Authority (SMA) have taken on board the many observations we had made about the many obstacles that a rushed program was likely to create.

For all of you who have been dismayed at the lack of consultation from DPTI and with specific concerns regarding Brownhill Creek or the use of Millswood Park etc I can tell you that the major thing that came out of our meeting is that our administration believe they have convinced DPTI to have a full council briefing in the near future (watch this space). The potential is that our residents may be invited to attend in the gallery to hear what we are hearing.

Alternatively they (DPTI) may be ready to have a stand alone session with residents.

Let me say at this juncture I do feel sorry for the people in DPTI who have been delegated the responsibility for developing this project. They have been under the pump because the Government (as I have indicated in previous posts) set very tight deadlines that were non negotiable. This placed a pressure on DPTI to perform miracles. Hopefully, with the involvement of Jennie and I recognising flaws in their original concepts and logistics, a miracle may yet happen, one that does not cause the grief that you and I have anticipated was going to occur.

In respect of issues raised by me about how this project would potentially de-rail the no dam option the SMA project team have been frantically trying to come up with solutions that will prove workable whether the dam is built or not. Clearly there is a recognition that this needs solving now, before the Goodwood Junction project proceeds.

We were briefed on a number of options, noting that they all need some more work to be certain they can work. (More on this when I have something definitive to report).

Of more interest, and which has interested most of you in the last week or so, is what will be happening to that stretch of land on the east side of Millswood Park. What I can tell you is the tenders from the contractors have been received and are being analysed now (I believe there are two being focused on). If I understood correctly one of these are proposing to use Millswood Park, the other is not.

I guess we will have to wait on that one but if one does not see a need to use it then there is a chance the other might be persuaded to follow suit. The other thing is I believe our management are considering asking Council to agree to conditions and rental terms if the use of this site is requested by the winning tender. Given this strip of land is ours this means we have some control because we don’t have to provide them access.