One with the lot for which lot? Julie Glen from Bubbas Pizza illustrates the confusion created by several house lots with the same number in Ahern Road, Pakenham. Picture: Stewart Chambers.By Paul Dunlop
HOUSE lots with the same number are creating lots of headaches in Ahern Road, Pakenham.
People living in the rapidly-developing residential area fear confusion over property numbering could result in disaster.
Their concerns have prompted Cardinia Shire Council to order an immediate review of property numbering.
Residents’ concerns were heightened after an emergency call-out to Lot 1, Ahern Road, revealed several other houses had the same address.
Kim Duff said her husband Rohan recently called an ambulance after it was feared their eight-month-old daughter was choking.
She said when paramedics arrived they had said they had difficulty finding the right house.
Mrs Duff said there were four other Lot 1s within a few hundred metres of her house.
She said her neighbour believed there were a similar number of houses marked Lot 2.
“Fortunately for us, my daughter was fine, but who knows what could have happened,” Mrs Duff said.
“It’s very frustrating. When we moved about three years ago we had hassles with our mail until the posties worked out where we were.
“Getting a pizza or wood delivered is always a bit of a problem and a lot of other people are in the same boat.
“You just have to give precise directions.
“Mostly it’s a nuisance, but if it was a matter of life and death it could be a disaster. Something needs to be done.”
Cardinia Shire manager of governance and communications Doug Evans said council was looking at the situation as a matter of urgency.
“In Ahern Road and other roads where residential developments are occurring, property numbering is at times confusing as the process of changing from rural numbering to urban numbering is being progressively introduced,” Mr Evans said.
“Unfortunately, some of the confusion arises by property owners using their own interpretation of their address which may not necessarily be a unique identifier of their property.”
Mr Evans said there were many Lot 1s in Ahern Road because there had been many subdivisions there.
He said for each individual subdivision that took place a plan-of-subdivision reference number was given and registered at the Land Titles Office.
“The lots within each of these subdivisions are numbered consecutively. You will therefore have a Lot 1 on one plan of subdivision, and another Lot 1 on another.”
Mr Evans said it was suggested that residents not use lot numbers to identify their own property as the numbers were not unique.
He said council would be in contact with residents to clarify the issues.
Meanwhile, local pizza deliverers and other agencies said they were relying on detailed directions.
Julie Glen from Bubbas Pizza said the number of lots with the same name had caused confusion in the past but that the drivers quickly learned ‘who’s where’.
