$290m final chapter comes to an end

By Shaun Inguanzo
PREMIER John Brumby and Planning Minister Justin Madden have helped close the book on the master planning phase of VicUrban’s $290 million Revitalising Central Dandenong project.
The project’s goal is to beautify central Dandenong and help it attract major investment that will restore it to the capital of Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.
VicUrban launched the final document to the public last Friday 2 November after several months of public consultation.
Titled the Urban Master Plan, the document reiterates the already-announced plans for City Walk, Lonsdale Street traffic calming, upgrades to the train station precinct, and the George Street Bridge.
City Walk is a designated route from the train station, otherwise dislocated from central Dandenong’s strip shopping hub, that links it to retail, food and entertainment places of interest.
Lonsdale Street traffic calming will rely heavily on the EastLink tollway diverting a significant proportion of trucks and other vehicles out of the Lonsdale Street stretch of the Princes Highway.
VicUrban then plans, according to the master plan, to next year begin working on making Lonsdale Street greener and more pedestrian friendly to remove the barrier that the street creates between its opposing sides.
The master plan also comes with a map showing residents what patches of central Dandenong are set to be revitalised within the next five and then 20 years.
The newest addition to the plan is the accompanying publication titled Consultation Report that details how VicUrban conducted its public consultation on the master plan between 26 April and 29 June 2007.
The report states that a total of 7684 people took part in the consultation with 5482 of those ‘visitors’ to kiosks, and 1900 visitors of the website.
Actual feedback forms received totalled 183 while 89 people attended briefing sessions, mostly traders and property owners.