Eltham MAC Precincts 3 and 4 Redevelopment Project
Adopted Vision and Key Principles
Vision
Precincts 3 and 4 will be locally cherished as a highly accessible, convenient and attractive location in the Eltham Town Centre to catch public transport, access information, art and civic services and conduct a range of social, community and everyday business activities.
The precincts will be well connected, both visually and physically, with the rest of the Eltham Town Centre, the surrounding parkland, nearby sporting facilities and the Diamond Creek Trail. The precincts will be highly accessible, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists and will reflect Eltham’s local environment and heritage.
Pedestrian and Cycle Environment
Key Principle / Potential Actions /1. Provide high quality access for pedestrians and cyclists between Main Road in Precinct 4, and Youth Road and the surrounding parkland / · provide a bridge over the railway line, accessible to all, along the alignment of St Laurence Lane, subject to the technical feasibility of the action being confirmed
· provide an improved and appealing underpass in the vicinity of the existing underpass near Eltham train station
2. Facilitate convenient and direct access for pedestrians and cyclists, to Eltham train station, across the train line, from car parking areas to the west / · provide a bridge, accessible to all, along the alignment of St Laurence Lane, that allows access to the train station platforms at its mid-point
· provide an underpass to permit direct pedestrian access from the west to the Eltham train station platforms, and connecting with the existing underpass providing access from the bus interchange to the east
3. Improve the environs of the Eltham train station and existing bus interchange to provide a safe, readily accessible and inviting transport hub
4. Improve the pedestrian experience of Main Road, providing a comfortable and welcoming street that supports and prioritises pedestrian movement / · reduce vehicle crossing points and minimise pedestrian conflict, particularly around the public transport hub
· improve Eltham Square by removing car parking, upgrading landscaping, street furniture and surface treatments
· address pedestrian movement around the Luck Street / Main Street roundabout to improve safety
· minimise pedestrian conflict points, straighten footpath alignments and ensure pedestrian priority at vehicle crossovers
· ensure the vehicle entry points of new development does not adversely impact on the function of Main Road
· widen and de-clutter footpaths where necessary
· improve street furniture, lighting and way-finding signage
· consistently employ DDA compliant measures, such as tactile paving
5. Improved pedestrian connectivity between Precincts 3 and 4, the Eltham Library, and the Commercial Core of Eltham to overcome the barrier to movement created by Main Road / · consider additional signalised pedestrian crossings across Main Road, in the vicinity of St Laurence Lane and the Eltham Library that respond to identified desire lines
· Provide way-finding signage to the Eltham Library and Commercial Core, subject to the action providing a clear improvement to both the functionally and appearance of signage
· Create new cycling links to Eltham Library along Youth Road, and/or east of the train line at the rear of Main Road development
6. Provide safe pedestrian connectivity between Precinct 3 and the Eltham Retirement Centre and also for other significant pedestrian traffic from that general direction, including students of Catholic Ladies College. / · provide consistent footpaths in the vicinity of the Eltham Retirement Centre
· consistently employ DDA compliant measures, such as tactile paving
· upgrade the existing pedestrian crossing point in front of the Eltham Retirement Centre (near the intersection of Diamond Street and Youth Road) and provide safer pedestrian access across Youth Road at its intersection with Diamond Street
· improve pedestrian safety by providing footpaths through car park areas in vicinity of Diamond Street, providing additional lighting and consider any other appropriate safety improvements, such as use of CCTV
7. Promote cycling as a transport mode to, and within Eltham Town Centre / · promote safe cycle movement, with cycle lanes and off-road shared paths, such as to the west of Main Road development; adjacent to Youth Road and Main Road; to the south-east side of the train line, between Library Place and Montmorency
· consider implementing/ prioritising bicycle lanes in appropriate locations along Main Road, Panther Place, Diamond Street and Youth Road
· consider providing pavement markings to indicate 3 metre wide traffic lane with bicycle logo’s at intersections and suitable space between
· consider installing speed tables or cushions that have a good riding profile along the left hand side of the traffic lane. The use of kerb build-outs or other measures might be required to discourage vehicles from travelling within the parking lance around any speed devices
· provide bike racks, lockers and supporting infrastructure, as required, throughout Eltham Town Centre (see Potential Actions listed under Key Principle 30)
8. Create an appealing pedestrian and cycling route through Precincts 3 and 4 that provides an alternative to the heavily trafficked Main Road / · create a shared off-road path, within a landscaped setback, adjacent to Youth Road
· formalise car parking along Youth Road to more clearly distinguish between pedestrian/cycle and vehicle movements
9. Improved connectivity for cyclists to the Diamond Creek Trail, north of Precinct 3 / · consider reconfiguring the route of the Diamond Creek Trail to avoid rail crossing points and proximity to busy roads
· widen the existing footpath on the western side of Main Road, north of Diamond Street, and form an off-road shared path that connects to the Diamond Creek Trail
· support the proposed shared path with appropriate signage
10. Improved connectivity for cyclists between Precinct 4 and areas of the Eltham Major Activity Centre to the, north, south and west / · widen the existing footpath on the western side of Main Road, south of Panther Place, and form an off-road shared path that connects to the Bridge Street Precinct
· consider building on the existing facilities that extend to the north and south of the study area with additional localised access points, improved intersection facilities, path widths and clearances/protection to adjacent obstructions
11. Improved pedestrian and cycling connectivity between Precinct 3, and community facilities in Precincts 4 and 6 / · extend a new off-road shared path, from the end of Youth Road, around the eastern periphery of Eltham Central Park, adjacent to the community and sports facilities, and linking with Panther Place and the Diamond Creek Trail in Alastair Knox Park
12. Promote safe pedestrian movement, and an activated pedestrian environment to the west of Main Road development, adjacent to the train line / · formalise a footpath, east of the train line, to support pedestrian movement, at the rear of Main Road development, between Panther Place and the Eltham train station
· provide active frontages to laneways connecting Main Road to areas at the rear
· development on the west side of Main Road should allow for passive surveillance over areas to the rear
· development on the west side of Main Road should allow for internal pedestrian connections through to rear car parks
13. Improve the environs of the Eltham Community Craft and Product Market, to provide a safe and welcoming space, with pedestrian movement prioritised / · address the through movement of traffic accessing the sporting facilities
· provide footpaths, where required, to separate pedestrian and vehicle movements
Visual Quality and Development
Key Principle / Potential Actions /14 Improve the visual quality of Eltham Town Centre when entering from the north or south / · redevelop the Liquorland site with a landmark quality proposal that provides visual interest to all elevations
· incorporate landscape improvements at the southern entrance to Precinct 4, ensuring that landscape remains the dominant feature
15 Improve the visual quality of Eltham Town Centre when arriving by train / · incorporate landscaping to help improve the appearance of the Eltham Stabling Yard
· minimise the usage of chain-wire fencing
· the rear elevations of development, adjacent to the train line, should provide appropriate visual interest where visible from the public realm
16 Ensure development capitalises on the visual assets of Eltham Town Centre / · limit building heights in identified places to maintain view corridors
· ensure development captures attractive views to the west of Main Road, towards the Diamond Creek corridor
17 Development on the Main Road frontage is a key influence on the image of Eltham, ensure high quality development / · provide a consistent built frontage to the west side of Main Road, and avoid variations in setback and gaps in frontage
· redevelopment of existing buildings should provide retail or commercial premises at ground floor, with residential uses above
· new development should incorporate architectural or landscape features at exposed locations when viewed from Main Road, and axial views from the east
· facades should be articulated to relate the fine grained shopping strip on the east side of Main Road
· new buildings should draw upon the bushland character of the area
· ensure future development incorporates the objectives of the Eltham MAC Design Guidelines
18 Activate the rear interfaces of development on the west side of Main Road, and avoid a back-of house character / · provide active frontage to the rear elevations of development on the west side of Main Road
· ensure rear elevations provide a sufficient degree of visual interest
· new development should incorporate acoustic treatments to respond to the railway environment
· ensure the waste and servicing requirements of commercial premises are concealed from the public realm
19 Development should provide an appropriate interface to adjacent open space / · building heights should transition downwards in scale towards open space, reducing the visual dominance of development and respecting the landscape setting
· built form should achieve a general stepping of the building in a westerly direction from the high point along Main Road
· maximise opportunities for views and passive surveillance over open space
· development fronting Youth Road should incorporate landscaped setbacks
20 New development through-out the precinct, but particularly the former Eltham Shire Office site should exemplify the local Eltham design style and provide high quality built form outcomes. / · built form should be of landmark quality, responding to its gateway location and positively contributing to the image of Eltham Town Centre
· development should maintain generous landscaped setbacks and retain established vegetation
· development fronting Library Place should include active frontage
· the site and associated development should be readily accessible for pedestrians and cyclists via Main Road, Youth Road and the rear of Main Road development
21 Enhance the landscape character of Main Road and the train line / · the continuous flow of landscape and vegetation along Main Road and the train line corridor should be enhanced to respond to the well vegetated character of Eltham Town Centre
22 Consider the redevelopment of at-grade car parking which both enhances the functionality of the public transport hub and benefits the local community. / · consider appropriate development which makes greater utilisation of at-grade car parking on Youth Road, such as a multi-storey car parking or medium density housing
· consider the redevelopment of existing areas of at-grade car parking, with Main Road frontage. Consider replacing with mixed-use development that provides a consistent street edge and provides for enlargement of the bus interchange
· compensate for the potential loss of car parking due to redevelopment (see Potential Actions listed under Key Principle 28)
· advocate to Public Transport Victoria (PTV) to ensure future re-development of its at-grade car parking is to the benefit of the local community, is consistent with Council’s strategic policy and provides for needs of the public transport hub
Heritage
Key Principles / Potential Actions /23 Protect the significance of historical sites located in Precincts 3 and 4 and ensure new development respects and does not detract from the significance of heritage sites. / · investigate the application of Heritage Overlay controls for the War Memorial Building (903-907 Main Road), Scout and Guide Hall (end of Youth Road) and workshop/warehouse (Eltham train station)
· ensure that the heritage significance of the Eltham War Memorial Cenotaph and complex are incorporated into design of the masterplan
Parking, Traffic and Sustainable Transport
Key Principles / Potential Actions /24 Provide an adequate supply of short term parking within Precincts 3 and 4 which is highly accessible for all users / · allocate additional spaces for short-term parking (equal to, or less than 2 hour parking) to better accommodate the needs of customers/visitors
· implement a signage strategy that clearly identifies the locations of access parking areas and way-finding signage within parking areas, to find alternate parking if an area is nearing capacity and the way to exit the area
· staff parking could be controlled through the use of appropriate permits (under a limit offer annual pay and display scheme)
25 Future commercial development generated car parking should be accommodated in manner which does not detract from the existing parking supply / · provide car parking on individual development sites
· provide car parking by way of a development cash-in-lieu contribution scheme for a new public car parking station, or
· a combination of the above options
26 Improve vehicle movement and connectivity within Precincts 3 and 4 / · commission the preparation of a car parking and circulation design response which proposes to better integrate individual car parks, whilst also responding to the concerns of submitters regarding the potential for an escalation of traffic movement in vicinity of the Eltham Library
· ensure any improvement to traffic circulation does not impact on the amenity and safety of the pedestrian environment in vicinity of Panther Place and the Eltham Library
27 Eltham train station and environs – ensure future development maintains and enhances the functionality of Precinct 3 as a commuter hub and accommodates the anticipated growth in demand for public transport services / · consider redevelopment and redesign of the Eltham transport hub, including potential enlargement of the bus interchange at its current location on Main Road