Melbourne’s newest suburb, Rockbank North, will house up to 20,000 people.
Planning Minister Matthew Guy last week announced that the suburb would include two town centres, childcare facilities, two pre-schools, three primary schools, a high school, and maternal child health services.
“Projects like Rockbank North are about creating liveable communities and 20-minute neighbourhoods where residents have easy access to shops, schools, community services, parks and jobs,” Mr Guy said.
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Other community facilities will include a public library, a vocational training facility, 190 hectares of parkland and green space, and a commercial district.
Melton council planning and development general manager Luke Shannon said the development would create more opportunities.
“One of the key drivers is to create opportunities for the creation of local jobs and one of the most exciting things about [the development] is the economic development opportunities that it’s going to bring to the west,” Mr Shannon said.
“It will generate significant employment both in the construction phase and in the longer term.
“There will be retail opportunities, commercial opportunities, home-based businesses – it really is an exciting prospect for the west.”
Mr Shannon said the development also fitted well with the existing transport infrastructure and had “strong connections” to the Rockbank train station.
A precinct structure plan by the Metropolitan Planning Authority says the development will provide a key link between Melton and Caroline Springs, with Taylors Road the main gateway. The master plan envisages the linking of the Deans Marsh wetlands, river red gum woodlands and Kororoit Creek.
Rockbank North will be 29 kilometres from the CBD on the Western Freeway.
