Updates on multi-level carparks in Maroondah

Council is pleased to announce that the construction of the Australian Government funded Croydon multi-level carpark in Devon Street is one step closer with the contractor now appointed and due on site in the coming months, to commence site preparation. The building is expected to be completed and ready for the Maroondah community to use by October 2021.

This follows the completion of the funding agreements with the Australian Government in June of this year, enabling Council to also progress the planning and detailed design for the multi-level carparks in Ringwood and Heathmont, and at Heatherdale Station.

All four carparks are located within Activity Centres in Maroondah, with critical public transport infrastructure providing vital links for the Maroondah community to their work, their home and to their leisure activities.

The ability to provide increased parking within these precincts will minimise parking and road congestion, while encouraging business investment and development to Maroondah and the wider eastern region.

The location of the Croydon carpark was known when the funding announcement was made in February 2019, prior to the Federal election in May 2019. However, the sites for the carparks in Ringwood, Heathmont and at Heatherdale Station have taken time to identify and complete land purchases, typical for projects of this scale in key commercial centres.

The intended site for this carpark is the land known as 1 and 1A Bedford Road, which is on the corner of Maroondah Highway, runs along the railway line and is adjacent to the Ringwood station and bus interchange.

Council is currently in the early design and feasibility phase for this site, and in recent months has made a land purchase and completed a road closure of a parcel of discontinued roadway. These are preliminary and important steps to enable this project to proceed.

The site includes the Ringwood Cellars, which is covered by a Heritage Overlay(H05) within the Maroondah Planning Scheme and Council will now take the next steps to seek an appropriate planning permit. This includes commissioning an external planning consultant to prepare a planning report that will consider the use and development of the land for the purpose of a multi-level carpark. The planning report will also include a heritage assessment of the Ringwood Cellars, including the veracity of the existing heritage statement for the building, the current state of repair of the building, and provide advice on whether it should be retained or not, and if so in what form.

Once this report has been completed, Council will then formally advertise the planning permit which will enable the community to provide feedback.

Construction is expected to commence in early to mid-2021.

Council has recently completed the purchase of vacant land at 127B Canterbury Road, which runs along the railway line and is located adjacent to the Heathmont station and bus interchange.

Council is currently in the early design and feasibility phase for this site, and will be seeking an appropriate planning permit in the coming months

Construction is expected to commence in mid to late 2021.

Council continues to investigate a number of sites in the vicinity of the Heatherdale Station to enable the construction of the multi-level carpark to commence during 2021.

Council looks forward to completing all four projects as quickly as possible, to ensure we provide, on behalf of the Australia Government, real solutions for the longstanding parking issues at these key locations in Maroondah.