By YASEMIN TALAT
The expansion of Wyndham Harbour is expected to boost jobs and make the tourist destination a major industry drawcard.
The Minister for Planning, Matthew Guy, announced the approval for extensions to the project last week, adding that the changes would assist in making a commuter ferry service from the harbour to the City “fully sustainable”.
Mr Guy announced the rezoning of a significant 11 hectare parcel of land, facing onto Wyndham Harbour and Port Phillip Bay.
“Wyndham Harbour provides new lifestyle opportunities to Melbourne’s West , opening up Port Phillip Bay to the western suburbs in the same way the eastern suburbs have enjoyed the bay for decades,” Mr Guy said.
The rezoning of the land will accelerate the development of the 1000 berth marina, 10 kilometre extensions of gas and water mains and reticulated sewage.
Mr Guy’s approval will also assist in fast-tracking a ferry service link to the Docklands and Melbourne’s CBD.
“Expanding the Wyndham Harbour development will assist in providing a critical mass of population to make a commuter ferry service from Werribee to the city fully sustainable,” Mr Guy said.
“The expansion of Wyndham Harbour also provides an exciting opportunity to link Melbourne’s West to the city of tourism and employment anchors such as the Werribee Zoo and the new Werribee Employment Precinct,” he said.
The Planning Scheme Amendment C156 will allow Wyndham Harbour to grow to a community of almost 1400 residents.
“This approval will also assist in creating up to 3000 jobs during a five-year construction period and up to 440 ongoing jobs associated with marina operations, retail activity and property and site maintenance,” Mr Guy said.
Wyndham Mayor Heather Marcus said it was an exciting time for the community.
“We are really excited about it because it will be a landmark site for the City of Wyndham,” Cr Marcus said.
“We’ve been supportive of the marina for a long time now,” she said.
“We are just happy that we keep hearing extra involvement here in our city, which will be creating more jobs which is really fantastic.”
Wyndham Harbour will be a residential, commercial and marina complex and the only safe boat harbour between Williamstown and Geelong.
The new development will provide approximately 200 residential housing lots, 200 apartments and 27 terrace homes that incorporate the latest in environmentally sustainable initiatives.
Cr Marcus said the developments will also be incorporated into the latest Environmental and Sustainability Initiative.
Other features of the development will include two new public beaches and a Marina Square which will offer a range of restaurants, cafes and specialty stores.
Wyndham Harbour will be developed in stages with Stage 1 already well underway.
