Beverley McArthur has told parliament Torquay locals continue to be concerned about the location of a mental health facility.
The 12 unit facility is due to open next year next to a primary school and an early learning centre.
The Western Victoria M-P says she supports the facility but not the location.
“The objective is laudable,” she said.
“But the proposed location is so woefully inappropriate that it turns this from a fabulous project into a living nightmare for local residents.”
She says there are also concerns from local parents about the lack of involvement in the decision making process.
“It is particularly galling that residents and parents have been kept in the dark about this development.
“They feel if they had been able to contribute earlier, a more suitable site could have been found. Victorian planning laws provide short cuts for projects developing community care accommodation, and the future use of the site was not announced when it was purchased, apparently due to confidentiality agreements.
“But it is completely understandable that the consequence of this is that local people feel blindsided and disempowered by this process.
“The irony is a far better location exists and is already owned by the state government.”
