Benjamin Millar
The heart of Melton will receive a funding boost in a bid to bring shoppers back to businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A $1.35 million injection from the Melton Suburban Revitalisation program will deliver a redesign of civic spaces, a program of events and a campaign to encourage people to support local businesses.
Projects will include an outdoor dining precinct, a shopfront improvement program and a kids zone playground, as well as active transport and capital upgrades to help boost foot traffic and a ‘buy local’ campaign.
Melton MP Steve McGhie said eight projects will be delivered by the Melton Council in partnership with the Melton Revitalisation Board to revitalise the heart of Melton’s town centre.
The board, chaired by Mr McGhie, includes representatives from Melton Council, local business and the wider community.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Melton Revitalisation Board, which will continue to support our local projects that are improving community spaces and addressing our local priorities,” Mr McGhie said.
The new projects come on top of a previous $500,000 Suburban Revitalisation investment in Melton, which paved the way for a $200,000 expansion of the Melton Courthouse Café, $95,000 for a pop-up retail space to showcase emerging businesses and $85,000 for local businesses to upgrade their shopfronts.
The Suburban Revitalisation program works with local stakeholders to help plan and deliver projects that focus on driving positive social and economic outcomes in key activity centres.
Almost $24.8 million has been spent on the program over the past 12 months, delivering $73.8 million of co-investment to Melbourne’s suburbs across 115 projects.
Mr McGhie said the state government is committed to encouraging suburban revitalisation as a way of strengthening Melbourne’s liveability and driving economic opportunity and jobs growth closer to where people live.
