Precinct 1
Precinct 1 covers the non-residential area north of Doncaster
Road between Council Street and JJ Tully Drive and includes
major civic and educational facilities, such as the Council
Offices and Doncaster Primary School, as well as key historic
buildings and areas of open space. It boasts spectacular views
of the mountain ranges to the north and east and offers easy
access to Westfield Doncaster.
Precinct 1 vision:
'The creation of a consolidated, prominent
and accessible civic centre with an expanded community and
education focus, with gateway presence. It will also include
a major urban open space / green spine for Doncaster Hill
Activity Centre residents and the wider Manningham community.
It is also envisaged to incorporate strong pedestrian links
to other areas of the Doncaster Hill Activity Centre and
enhance the historic / arts sub-precinct.' (Manningham
Planning Scheme - Clause 21.21-1)
Precinct 1 Masterplan image
Development is expected to take place over a 15-20 year timeframe,
with the initial stage expected to be completed within the
next three years.
Heritage buildings and landscapes in the precinct will be
retained and enhanced. It is also envisaged to incorporate
strong pedestrian links to other areas of Doncaster Hill.
The area will be designed to encourage walking, cycling and
the use of public transport and will adhere to Council's Ecologically
Sustainable Development principles.
The Doncaster
Hill Precinct 1 Community Infrastructure Assessment (740Kb)
provides further information on the potential for Precinct
1 to become a community focal point.
Precinct 1 Masterplan exhibition (2009)
The Doncaster Hill Precinct 1 Masterplan was placed on exhibition
between April and June 2009. In this time Council held a series
of consultation sessions, with the general community as well
as particular groups, and distributed approximately 1200 brochures
and feedback forms.
Feedback from this consultation is being incorporated into
the final version of the Masterplan.
Civic Precinct
The Civic Precinct will involve the construction of a new
environmentally sustainable community facility adjacent to
the existing municipal offices. A report was endorsed by Council
at the 24 June 2009 Council meeting, outlining the direction
of the Stage 1 development.
Located within Precinct 1, Doncaster Hill’s Civic Precinct
will be a thriving community hub for the all Manningham residents,
as well as visitors, to enjoy.
The Civic Precinct will co-locate a number of cultural, social
and community facilities and services in a central location
to meet the growing needs of the community. Concept designs
were endorsed by Council on 7 July 2009. For more information,
view the Doncaster
Hill Civic Precinct - Concept Report June 2009 (83Kb).
Project development
View the Images
page for more Civic Precinct images
The successful development of the Civic Precinct will play
a very significant municipal-wide role in the provision of
space for social interaction and cultural development opportunities,
and community meetings. It will form the Civic and Community
Hub for all residents of Manningham and complement the commercial
and residential development in the adjoining areas of Doncaster
Hill.
Key components of the Civic Precinct include:
- Library / Cultural Centre / community arts / café
facilities;
- Family services / childcare / maternal and child health
/ preschool facilities;
- Community / youth activity space;
- Doncare service delivery / office accommodation facilities;
- Site landscaping works;
- Underground parking facilities; and
- Civic forecourt / transport hub / shared pedestrian and
cycling facilities.
The Community Centre will be designed and operated to 5-star
Green Star and NABERS standards. A tri-generation facility
will supply heating, cooling and power to the existing Civic
Offices and the Community Centre via a micro-grid, and a sustainability
education hub, co-located with the library will provide educational
opportunities.
Library
A new state-of-the-art Doncaster Library is one of the facilities
to be provided in the Civic Precinct.
The Doncaster
branch of the Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation
was located in Westfield Doncaster prior to the commencement
of the recent redevelopment and is currently in a temporary
location at 1 Hummell Way (at the rear of the Scout Hall,
off JJ Tully Drive behind Council offices).
Council has received $500,000 through the State Government's
Living Libraries program for the development of the new library,
which will significantly improve public library infrastructure
and be a valuable asset for the whole of the Manningham community
into the future and a place for people to meet, access technology,
information, and reading resources.
As the temporary library is smaller than the permanent facility,
some services are likely to be slightly modified, although
core library services have been maintained.
Funding and financial management
The estimated cost of the stage 1 of the Civic Precinct,
which is expected to be completed within three years, is just
under $35 million.
Financial management of the project will focus on no rates
dependence, drawing on the Development Contributions Plan
Overlay (DCPO) and Westfield contributions, as well as targeting
Federal and State Government grants.
A Financial Capacity Analysis has been undertaken, showing
that Council has capacity to fund the development without
detriment to its five year Capital Works Program and adopted
Budget.
Planning Permit
Council issued a Notice of Decision to grant a permit for
Stage 1 works - the construction of a $37.5 million environmentally
sustainable Community Centre adjacent to the Council offices
in Doncaster - on 2 February 2010. The Council Report for
the permit application can be viewed in the 2
February Council Minutes (9.7Mb).
Consultation
Extensive consultation and communications with stakeholders
regarding the Civic Precinct project will be ongoing. Displays
can be viewed at the Civic Centre and Library in Doncaster.
For more information on the development of the Civic Precinct
contact Council on 9840 9333 or email doncasterhill@manningham.vic.gov.au.
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