Time to deliver ‘a new city for Melbourne’

29/7/10 – The Victorian Government today implemented a number of major planning and transport initiatives in order to accommodate Melbourne’s rapid population growth and rectify the ongoing shortage of residential land supply across its growth areas.

These initiatives included a significant change to Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary, which has been shifted to incorporate the balance of the Merrifield project within Melbourne’s north and bring forward the next stage in its planning.

MAB Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer, David Hall, welcomed the decision, as it enables Merrifield – a joint venture between MAB Corporation and Gibson Property Corporation – to deliver on its vision for ‘A New City for Melbourne’.

“The shift in the Urban Growth Boundary enables us to proceed with the further detailed planning and development of Merrifield, which will see the transformation of over 1,500 hectares of land into a sustainable, mixed-use business and lifestyle community”.

“Merrifield now has the ability to grow into a thriving and desirable destination for work, leisure and residential living” Mr. Hall said.

The Merrifield vision acknowledges the benefits of providing jobs close to where people live.  Supported by a major business and employment destination – already zoned to deliver up to 30,000 new jobs – Merrifield has the potential to also provide housing for up to 30,000 people.

Central to the Merrifield vision is the creation of a new employment focussed Activity Centre, which will play a critical role in bolstering the level of white collar employment in the region and providing the higher order services and facilities for new communities within the expanded growth area.

Previously unseen in Melbourne’s outer north, Merrifield presents an opportunity to address the long-standing deficiency in suitable higher-order community services and facilities in the region, particular in the fields of health, education and recreation.

Following today’s announcement, MAB and GPC will continue to work closely with its key stakeholders – including the Growth Areas Authority and Hume City Council – in the preparation of the Growth Area Framework Plan for Melbourne’s North and the Merrifield Precinct Structure Plan, both of which are required to be approved before urban development can commence.

For further information please visit www.merrifieldcorp.com.au.

Further information
David Hall
Mobile : 0413 566 843
Email : dhall@mabcorp.com.au