By Alesha Capone
IDEAS for future development in St Albans include buildings up to seven storeys high, closing Alfreida St to create a pedestrian mall, installing parking meters and student housing.
The proposals were listed in the draft St Albans Activity Centre Structure Plan (SAACSP), which the Brimbank City Council administrators last week voted to exhibit as an amendment to the area’s planning scheme.
Asip Demiri, from the St Albans Traders Association, welcomed the plan and said businesses saw it as a good vision for the area’s future.
In the SAACSP was a guide for the future development of the St Albans district, by 2025, which said many of its proposals depended on the future grade separation of the rail line below Main Rd.
Allowing building heights of between two and seven stories were recommended in the plan, with the highest developments being targeted at St Albans Rd, Main Rd East and Alfrieda St.
A SAACSP consultation report also said the council could “get rid of the stigma associated with St Albans” and build on retail diversity to attract new markets such as the “white middle-class mortgage belt”.
The results of a community survey in the report highlighted many positive aspects of St Albans but also said residents were concerned about crime, theft, shoplifting, drugs and alcohol problems, “visible gangs and racial conflict” and vandalism.
Within the St Albans CBD, installing parking meters, provide multi-level car parking, “more local law surveillance”, closing Alfreida St and create a pedestrian mall, student housing and developing an anti-hooning strategy were on the agenda as possible developments.
The document also encouraged “higher density, medium-rise” apartments of up to four storeys for the Kruger site, near Gratz St and McKenzie St.
The SAACSP draft said the council would, “continue dialogue with Kruger representatives regarding potential relocation” and soil contamination investigations could be needed before any further development of the spot.
As well, the council hopes to “encourage redevelopment of Safeway and the community centre to incorporate increased density and additional services/facilities” and lobby for medium density townhouse development in Collins St.
Relocating or redeveloping the Errington Reserve Community Centre was also proposed.
