Fawkner residents oppose planning application at former Nufarm toxic site

Residents in Fawkner are urging the Merri-bek Council to reject a retrospective planning application for a former Nufarm site at 102 McBryde Street. The site, located in Melbourne’s outer north, was used between 1962 and 1971 to manufacture agricultural chemicals, including components of Agent Orange.

Concerns center on the potential disturbance of a clay cap installed in the mid-1990s to prevent toxic residue from leaching into the soil and nearby Merri Creek. The current application seeks permits for concrete slabs and shipping containers that have reportedly already been installed on the land.

The proposal has drawn 98 objections. Community members have expressed fears regarding the integrity of the containment cap and have called for the council to investigate whether any contaminated soil was disturbed during unauthorized works already conducted at the site.