Government says increased construction activity will help create thousands of jobs
Planning Minister Matthew Guy has approved a $533 million infrastructure contributions package to fund key
roads, community facilities and services in the City of Wyndham.
The Wyndham West Development Contributions Plan (DCP) will help fund the delivery of 15.6 kilometres of new roads, 33 intersections, 27 bridges, 18 full size sports fields within 122 hectares of new open space and 6.3 hectares of land for community facilities across seven new precincts over the next 30 years.
Mr Guy said the contributions plan also featured a landmark agreement between the Victorian Government, City of Wyndham and developer Lend Lease that will allow funding to be brought forward to deliver the Armstrong Road/Ison Road link between the Werribee River and the Princes Freeway.
“Construction of Armstrong Road and Ison Road is required early in the development of the Wyndham West
sub-corridor. The City of Wyndham will forward fund this important project, with the council’s finance costs to be covered by the Wyndham West DCP provisions,” Mr Guy said. He added that this approach provides a practical solution to deliver much needed infrastructure to one of Australia’s fastest growing areas.
A proposal has also been put forward to use recently introduced Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution
Works-in-Kind (GAIC WIK) arrangements to build a bridge over the Geelong railway line as part of the delivery of Ison Road, a project Member for Western Metropolitan Region Andrew Elsbury said would significantly improve traffic flow in Werribee.
“Both Armstrong Road and the proposed bridge over the Geelong railway line will overcome traffic congestion in Cotterell St, Werribee and provide an important transport link from Wyndham West to the Princes Freeway,” Mr Elsbury said, calling it a “fantastic” example of the Napthine Government implementing new funding models to provide key infrastructure for Melbourne’s outer west. “It also highlights how development in our growth areas can provide key infrastructure to service existing communities,” he added.
Mr Guy said the Wyndham West DCP outlined $533 million worth of projects, with developer contributions set to provide $431.6 million to help fund new infrastructure. The balance of funds for the projects identified in the DCP for the Wyndham West precincts will be covered by GAIC WIK, DCPs for adjoining areas, Section 173
agreements, Government budget cycle contributions and contributions from Wyndham City Council and
Melbourne Water.
Approval of the DCP has paved the way for the first stage of the $1 billion Harpley development, within the
approved Black Forest Road South precinct, to commence in August. The 435-hectare precinct will ultimately
provide 4,000 new homes, key transport links and community facilities.
Mr Guy has also approved two precinct structure plans to create two new communities within the Wyndham
West collection area. Approval of the Ballan Road and Westbrook precincts will ultimately lead to the
development of 11,400 housing lots over the next 30 years.
“The Ballan Road and Westbrook precincts are key components of the Napthine Government’s plan to deliver
50,000 housing lots across Melbourne in 2014 to improve housing affordability and manage population growth,”
Mr Guy said.
“Each precinct will benefit from early infrastructure delivery, with access to key services and well designed open space and community facilities,” Mr Guy added.
The Napthine Government has now released a total of 95,000 housing lots since 2011. Increased competition
has brought the median lot price down to $190,000, from a peak of $225,000 in late 2010. Also, confidence in
Victoria’s building industry is at record levels, according to the Master Builders Association.
“Coalition planning reforms are giving more Victorian families the opportunity to own an affordable home, whether in the outer suburbs, or in the central city,” Mr Guy said.
“Increased construction activity is creating thousands of new jobs in the building industry. Building permit activity for 2014 so far is up 13 per cent over the same period in 2013, up to $10.6 billion. Domestic building permits (detached homes) are up 19 per cent,” he said, and warning against Labor’s “destructive plans for the construction industry”.
He said that the Labor Party wanted to make housing less affordable for Victorians, by opposing well-planned suburbs as well as apartment towers in the CBD. “Labor would destroy thousands of construction jobs and hurt our economy with their destructive attitude to our city,” he said.
Apart from Ballan Road, Westbrook and Black Forest Road South, Wyndham West includes the approved Alfred Road precinct and future plans for Black Forest Road North, Bayview and Quandong. These precincts are expected to provide approximately 27,000 new homes for 75,000 residents.
Recent Coalition Government investments in Wyndham infrastructure include the $100 million Williams Landing train station, two new train stations at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale as part of the $4.8 billion Regional Rail Link, and $72 million for the Sneydes Road freeway interchange and associated works to enable development of the East Werribee Employment Precinct.
Published in The Indian Sun (Indian Magazine in Melbourne)
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