By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A LACK of parking is discouraging private companies from relocating to central Dandenong, says Greater Dandenong councillor Matthew Kirwan.
“We are doing a good job of getting more government offices and workers into central Dandenong,” Cr Kirwan said at Monday’s council meeting.
“We have so far not succeeded in getting private companies to base their headquarters or branch offices in Dandenong.”
After the meeting, Cr Kirwan told the Journal that more parking was needed at peak times to attract companies who wanted “talented and diverse staff”.
“Why would private employers of successful companies – that are sustainable – move a significant … business to Dandenong where they could struggle to get talented and diverse staff due to being 30 kilometres from the city and not having a ready supply of a significant number of parking spaces?”
He said such companies were more likely to base themselves in the Melbourne CBD, serviced by the region’s converging road and public transport networks.
At the meeting, the council’s Greater Dandenong Business group manager Paul Kearsley said it was expected “over time” that private companies would find central Dandenong a “prime” location but “we are up against it” competing with Frankston and Box Hill.
“A lot are going to industrial parks outside the (Dandenong) CBD. We have a hard task at hand to make sure we attract the right sort of companies.”
He said central Dandenong had selling points. It offered “more competitive land purchase rates” than the Melbourne CBD, a good transit system and easy freeway access.
The council, with the help of Places Victoria, had tracked down and would soon send out a prospectus to suitable companies interested in relocation, Mr Kearsley said.
Cr Kirwan asked Mr Kearsley if a dearth of CBD parking was causing companies to instead set up in Dandenong South’s industrial parks.
“Maybe that’s an important thing for us to find out.”
The council has been working on a parking strategy for the area, with a draft expected to be put out to community consultation.
