Truganina residents have welcomed the release of the draft Mt Atkinson Major Town Centre Urban Design Framework (UDF) which is out for community consultation but are eager to see construction begin following a “long” wait.
The draft UDF sets out plans for a town centre in Mt Atkinson that will be centred around a prospective train station and is intended to combine retail, commercial, residential, and community uses.
Melton acting director of city futures Travis Conway said the site has attracted a lot of community interest.
“We have now looked at the draft plan that’s in front of us, and we thought it was an opportune time to bring forward for public comment,” Mr Conway said.
The UDF process began in late 2019, and the draft UDF was received by the council on September 12 from Mount Atkinson Holdings Pty Ltd via Mesh Planning.
Mount Atkinson Advocacy Forum group member Manish Baisoya said that the draft plan’s release for feedback was a welcomed advancement.
“The timeline came up from [Melton], so it was obviously was a bit disappointing because we were hoping it would happen a bit sooner,” Mr Baisoya said.
“They might be able to approve it before Christmas. We need to ensure that this get delivered on time because it has already taken so long … not just the council but the landowners as well,“ he said.
Mr Baisoya said residents often need to travel from Mount Atkinson to Caroline Springs to buy groceries or medication.
Mr Conway said that the UDF is expected to be formally considered by council in early 2026, and once approved, future planning applications can then be considered.
A spokesperson for Mount Atkinson Holdings said the developer remains committed to the delivery of the Mt Atkinson Town Centre and is aligned with the community in “advocating for [Melton] to expediently approve the Urban Design Framework to enable the Town Centre to proceed without further delay.“
Once released to the public by council, it will be open for feedback for more than 28 days and will be available online and in person.
