A new Adelaide on Melbourne's outskirts: Baillieu government's growth corridor plans

Alistair WalshDecember 8, 2020

Suburbs in Melbourne’s north, west and southeast are set to flourish under the Baillieu government’s $200 billion growth corridor plan, which aims to house 1 million people over the next 20 years.

The blueprint details plans to redevelop train infrastructure, build new major roads, revamp town centres, build 350,000 new homes and create jobs for 400,000 people as well as building new parks and environmental reserves.

The Growth Areas Authority has identified growth regions in the city’s fringe in which it will develop affordable housing close to shopping centres, schools, health services and jobs.

Planning Minister Matthew Guy told The Herald Sun the plan was a major project for Victoria.

“[The plan addresses] how the city will manage an extra million people over time,” he said.

“It can be done with improvements to transport, regionalising jobs in out suburban centres and better health and education facilities in those centres.

“You could potentially house up to 1.3 million people; you are looking at a plan the size of Adelaide.”

The northern suburbs faces major development, with four new town centres and Donnybrook and Beveridge each receiving new train stations and the Hume Freeway getting extra interchange access in the north and south of outer-metro ring reservations.

The western suburbs will have six new town centres and will have new regional rail link stations at Wyndham Vale and Tarneit with options at Truganina, Davis Road, Sayers Road and Wyndham Vale South. Toolern and Paynes Road will have new train stations, and Rockbank Melton line will be upgraded.

A possible new major outer metropolitan ring road is part of the part plan which would link the southwest with northeast.

Between them Sunbury looks to receive a new town centre and a train overhaul with rail electrification and possible new stations at Sunbury South and Sunbury North.

In the southeast two new town centres are planned, and Clyde will be added to the Craigieburn line. The plan will investigate better links between Cranbourne, Officer and Pakenham, including a new crossing at Cardinia Creek.

The plan was originally started by the former Brumby government to direct the development of the 43,600 hectares of land bought inside the Urban Growth Boundary under that government.

The work will be tendered out to major developers. It is not clear yet which developers have won a tender to carry out the work.

Alistair Walsh

Deutsche Welle online reporter

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