A new city centre for Melbourne’s north began to take shape at Kalkallo on Thursday 22 October, as partners launched the program that will plan Cloverton. It’s set to become the heart of a region expected to be home to around 380,000 people.
Planned where Hume, Mitchell and Whittlesea meet, the 52-hectare centre will become the region’s main hub for jobs, health care, education, transport and government services.
For local families, that could mean a job down the road instead of hours on the freeway, further study close to home, health care when they need it, and new places to shop, eat and meet.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Cr John Dougall said Cloverton gave the north a chance to get growth right from the start.
“It’s a rare chance to build a city from the ground up. The suburbs around Cloverton are already growing, but the centre itself is still largely undeveloped – so we can plan the jobs, services and infrastructure first, rather than retrofit them later,” Cr Dougall said.
Who was involved?
Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell MP joined the program’s partners at the Kalkallo Community Centre to assemble a set of branded building blocks. The partners are Mitchell Shire Council, Hume City Council, the City of Whittlesea, Stockland and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
What is the funding for?
The program is funded by a $2.6 million investment from the Australian Government’s Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program. The funding supports two pieces of work:
- an Urban Design Framework, which will shape how the centre looks, feels and works
- a Regional Needs Assessment, which will identify the infrastructure and services the region needs and when.
Together, they’ll lay the groundwork for Cloverton, so the right pieces are planned in the right place at the right time.
What does it mean for the north?
Cr Dougall said getting the planning right now would shape life in the north for generations.
“We want people to be able to build their whole lives here – to study, work, raise a family and stay connected to their community. Cloverton can make that possible,” he said.
“Strong communities are built one piece at a time, with each piece in the right place. That’s what this work is about.
“We thank the Australian Government and Rob Mitchell for their $2.6 million investment, which is helping us get the right pieces in place as people arrive.”
