Growing Suburbs Fund opens again next year

THE Surf Coast Shire will again have the chance to fast-track some of its much-needed infrastructure through state government funding.

Six months ago, the state government announced a $25 million expansion of the Growing Suburbs Fund to bring forward delivery of new local facilities and upgrades including libraries, parks, playground, community centres and sporting facilities.

The Growing Suburbs Fund was previously only available to Melbourne’s 10 interface councils, but now includes six peri-urban councils experiencing strong population growth.

“The Surf Coast will be eligible to apply for the next round of the Growing Suburbs Fund, to open early next year,” a state government spokesperson said.

The shire already has one Growing Suburbs Fund project in the works – the Torquay Wayfinding Project, which is designed to improve accessibility and access to Torquay’s town centre. The project, which received $175,000 from the fund in September, will invest in new signage to encourage more people to turn off the Surf Coast Highway.

It will promote exploring Torquay’s shopping area and points of interest on foot, including better connection between the shops, the beach and Surf Coast Walk.

The Surf Coast Shire council applied to the Growing Suburbs Fund in June for the project.

The Torquay Town Centre Urban Design Framework (UDF), adopted by the council in December 2017, states that Torquay suffers from fragmented precincts that are not well connected, diminishing the experience for visitors and local residents.

The UDF identifies Torquay’s Town Centre (centred on Gilbert Street and Bristol Road) has very little presence on the Surf Coast Highway, and visitors less familiar with Torquay may believe the Surf City precinct is actually the town centre.

It also recognises existing signage and access to the Town Centre is confusing and there is significant scope for improvement, and that other precincts such as Bell Street, Baines Crescent and the growing West Coast Business Park further exacerbate wayfinding challenges.

“While council are delivering the Torquay Wayfinding Project, we understand it is at the community consultation and planning stage,” the state government spokesperson said.

As well as the Surf Coast Shire, the five other councils now with access to the fund are Golden Plains, Baw Baw, Macedon Ranges, Moorabool and Bass Coast.

Together, the interface and peri-urban councils now eligible for the fund are home to 30.4 per cent of Victoria’s population, or 2.7 million people.

Since its establishment in 2015, the Growing Suburbs Fund has facilitated $665.7 million in local facilities, created more than 6,750 jobs and supported 193 projects.