Liam McNally
Melton’s “declining” town centre will undergo a transformation over the next decade, and council’s draft plan on how it will be done will be put out for community consultation from November 6.
According to council the town centre has been in decline for some time due to increased competition from Woodgrove shopping centre and emerging centres such as Cobblebank.
In early 2021, council began work on a plan that focuses on differentiation to avoid direct competition by maximising opportunities for outdoor settings, walking and active transport and supporting mixed use development.
The plan consists of 10 “key revitalisation moves” re-imagining High Street as the heart of the town centre, strengthening McKenzie Street’s role as a “community spine”, creating an active public realm along Toolern Creek, Incentivising small business to activate the public realm, facilitating development of the key strategic sites, supporting diverse housing options in the town centre, supporting community health and wellbeing by providing the right facilities and supporting infrastructure, making it safe and inviting for people to move around the town centre, making it easy for people to use public transport services and enabling the town centre to develop sustainably.
Ideas in the draft plan include changing the High Street Cross Section by introducing increased areas for outdoor dining, designated bicycle and pedestrian paths complemented by increased tree canopy and landscaped areas, creating a “Library Lane” between High Street and the Melton Library, and reviewing the function of three diamond parks at at the end of Inze, Musk and Judy Courts.
Redevelopment is also suggested for the Police Paddock, Council land in Damian Street, Civic Centre site, and Fay Street Reserve.
City Futures director Sam Romaszko said community consultation on the draft plan is proposed to occur for six weeks from November 6 to December 8, and will include distribution of a brochure, drop in sessions, social media posts.
“The plan is a policy framework designed to reverse the decline in activity and guide future development to support long term viability of the Melton town centre,” she said.
The final plan will be brought before council in Autumn 2024, and individual projects will be budgeted for, or have funding sought following its adoption.
