Weekly Review: East-west link: Tollway ‘hell’ expected by landlords, residents. Sue Hewitt. 18 August 2014

Landlord and resident uncertainty continues over the impact of east-west link, according to the Flemington Association.

Association president Les Potts said landlords have emerged as the latest group worried about the impact of the toll road.

He said like residents, landlords were concerned whether their properties would be acquired or be left next to road fly-overs or other disruptive aspects of the project.

Mr Potts said a community meeting at the Flemington Community Centre last week showed people still had many questions about the project and the acquisition process.

He said residents of the warehouse apartment block in Bent Street, Kensington, were uncertain if individual apartments could be acquired because they would face an elevated road forming part of the link only 14 metres from their units.

Some Ascot Vale residents affected by the link’s Ormond Road off-ramp and widening of the Tullamarine Freeway were unsure if they wanted to stay, even if their properties were not acquired.

Elizabeth McCormack, a resident of Pattison Street, Ascot Vale, for more than 40 years, said her house had been spared but two townhouses next door had been acquired and would be demolished.

“There’ll be the demolition and construction noise and a tollway running behind me – it’s going to be hell,” she said.

George Mungherli, 84, has been told he can keep his Pattison Street house, but had to sell part of his backyard to the Linking Melbourne Authority running the road project. He said he did not know if he wanted to stay because of noise during construction.

Brisbane Street, Ascot Vale, resident Julia Cusack said those not affected by compulsory property acquisition still faced disruption, including those using playgrounds, which would be overshadowed by the off-ramp.

Many sporting clubs would be forced to relocate during the construction of the toll road, including the University of Melbourne Baseball Club.

Club president Vibeke Pedersen said the club would play its last games on Ross Straw Field in Parkville this Sunday before moving to the Essendon Baseball Club grounds for the next five years.

The lineup will feature three competitive matches, as well as a veterans’ game involving past players, coaches and umpires, against the Westgarth Baseball Club.