7,000 new homes planned at Merrifield

The Merrifield West Precinct Structure Plan, which outlines a vision for 7,000 new homes at Merrifield, has been released for public comment.

MAB Chief Operating Officer David Hall said the release of the plan is a great milestone for the project.

“We are excited about what is planned at Merrifield,” said Mr Hall. “We anticipate that the residential precinct at Merrifield will accommodate a new community of more than 20,000 people,”

The 1,000 hectare, fully integrated development has been identified by the Victorian Government as a key part of its Melbourne North Growth Corridor Plan.

The much anticipated plans were released by the Growth Areas Authority on 9 November 2011.

Mr Hall said that the release of the Plan outlines the important role of Merrifield within the context of Melbourne’s rapidly expanding northern growth corridor.

“The integration of a new residential community, strategically linked with one of Australia’s best located employment hubs on the Hume Freeway, provides a unique development opportunity in Melbourne’s growth corridor,” said Mr Hall.

He added that the planning of Merrifield has been based on very sound principles of sustainability, in terms of delivering jobs close to where people live.

“The vision for Merrifield is to exceed the Victorian Government’s target for providing employment opportunities in growth areas. The Merrifield master plan has the capacity to deliver one new job for each new resident,” said Mr Hall.

MAB collaborated closely with the Growth Areas Authority, Hume City Council and other Government Authorities to develop the Merrifield West Precinct Structure Plan.

The Merrifield development will deliver:

• The Merrifield Employment Precinct with the capacity to create up to 30,000 new jobs
• The Merrifield Residential Precinct with the capacity to accommodate 20,000+ people
• The new mixed-use Merrifield City Centre which will become a vibrant centre of civic life, servicing the adjacent employment and residential communities of Merrifield as well as the broader northern region
• The potential for a 300+ hectare “Merrifield Park” on the Kalkallo Retarding Basin land abutting the proposed Merrifield City Centre to the north, featuring regional sports and recreational facilities, parks, waterbodies and passive open spaces.

“The master planning of Merrifield also includes a showcase of landscaped parks, local town centres, community facilities and schools that will not only add value and contribute to the success of the region, but also encourage people to choose Merrifield as place a to work, live and play,” said Mr Hall.

Merrifield is a joint venture between MAB Corporation and Gibson Property Corporation (GPC) and is MAB’s largest and most visionary development to date.

For further details about Merrifield, please call MAB Corporation on 8681 2222 or visit www.merrifieldmelbourne.com.au