Project to pump new life into heart of town

By Shaun Inguanzo
THE heart of Springvale will be revitalised with a 10,000-square shopping, office and residential hub after the City of Greater Dandenong approved a permit for the project this week.
Joletta Nominees, a subsidiary of GLG Developments, will build 41 street-level retail shops, apartments and a further 1450 square metres of office space across three buildings accessed off Buckingham Avenue.
A report to council by planning manager Jody Bosman states that the project was envisioned as far back as 1980s when the former City of Springvale council recognised the need to “consolidate, diversify and extend” the city’s shopping precinct.
The Springvale council had originally met with developer Deltavale, which then sold the development rights to Joletta Nominees in 1999.
Mr Bosman’s report states the Springvale council had earmarked the site as it was the heart of Springvale.
In addition to the retail, commercial and residential boost, the development will create a further 708 car parking spaces in Springvale, which has in the past been criticised by councillors for its lack of parking.
The development will be split into three buildings, referred to as A, B and C.
Building A will be on the north-east corner of the intersection of Buckingham and Balmoral avenues and will contain 1365 square metres of retail space, a six-level car park catering for 433 cars, bicycle parking, public toilets and two levels each with 12 apartments, making a total of 24 residential properties.
Building B, also on the corner of Buckingham and Balmoral avenues, will have 940 square metres of retail space, and 892 square metres of office space.
Building C, which lies east of Buckingham Avenue, will have ground-level retails shops and provide “active retail frontage to Buckingham Avenue to the west” to ensure the city’s existing trade precincts are visible.
It will also contain 558 square metres of office space.
The permit states that the development must start within two years, and be completed within four.