Knox Central Structure Plan
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APPENDIX A Knox Central Structure Plan FINAL DRAFT VERSION 6 (FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION) OCTOBER 2017 ‘Knox Central – Capital of the East’ Document Register Version Purpose Date of Issue 1 Draft for consultation with Knox Central Advisory Committee 27 June 2016 2 Draft for Public Exhibition – for consideration by Council 13 September 2016 3 Draft for Public Exhibition – endorsed by Council 13 September 2016 4 Draft including recommended post-exhibition changes 27 March 2017 – for consideration by Council 5 Draft including recommended post-exhibition changes (Updates to 27 March 2017 Figures 14,15 and 23 only) – endorsed by Council 6 Final Draft for consideration by Council 09 October 2017 CONTENTS INTRODUCING KNOX CENTRAL .................................................................... 2 2 THE SETTING ...................................................................................... 4 Part THE STRUCTURE PLAN ............................................................................. 7 VISION AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES ............................................................. 11 THE STRATEGIC RESPONSE ........................................................................ 14 PRECINCT PLAN ................................................................................... 30 PRECINCT OBJECTIVES AND VISION ............................................................... 31 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES ......................................................................... 33 BUILT FORM FRAMEWORK – PREFERRED BUILDING HEIGHTS ...................................... 34 BUILT FORM FRAMEWORK – PREFERRED SETBACKS ............................................... 35 IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................ 52 INTRODUCING KNOX CENTRAL Knox Central is Knox City Council’s (Council) largest Infrastructure has improved. Most notably, Greater opportunities for people to live in Knox activity centre and sits alongside the City’s other major Eastlink better connects Knox with the broader Central, which is close to shops, transport, leisure centres of Bayswater, Boronia and Rowville. Knox Melbourne metropolitan area. This brings Knox activities and open space. In addition to its local Central serves a broad cross-section of the community, residents closer to jobs in the city, and supports amenity, Knox Central provides significant lifestyle both within Knox itself and across the eastern suburbs more opportunities for local employment. opportunities through its proximity to the of Melbourne. It includes retail, residential, industrial, Dandenongs and easy access to both the The approval of a significant expansion to commercial, government-owned land and open space. Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley. Knox Central’s location and boundary are shown in Westfield Knox represents significant private The strategic position of Knox Central and the high Figure 1. sector investment in the activity centre. level direction for its role and function are still sound, Council can improve outcomes and benefits for the Knox City Council has long had aspirations for Knox but require some adjustment to reflect contemporary community by timing and leveraging its own Central, with the Knox Central Urban Design Framework conditions. 2005 providing high level directions for the activity investment and focus to take advantage of this The Knox Central Structure Plan (the Structure Plan) centre over the last 10 years. It has taken some time to significant private and infrastructure investment. There responds to current conditions and sets out Council’s gather momentum, but it is considered that the time is is an opportunity to shape the future of the activity aspirations for Knox Central for the next 20 years. now right for Council to turn its focus actively toward centre and to create a sense of place and a central focus Knox Central for a number of reasons: for people in Knox and beyond. The Structure Plan is an enabling document, which Some of the outcomes Council wants to see for Knox seeks to facilitate significant change in the Activity We have started to see tangible, visible changes in Central are: Centre that produces positive outcomes for Knox Knox Central. Developments such as Kubix, Knoxia residents and the broader community. and Villa Maria signal increased investment and Improved civic and public spaces and places that development in the area. allow for more active use by the community. Demand for new types of housing in Knox is A distinctive built and natural environment that evident. While the main type of housing is still the creates a sense of arrival at ‘Knox’s CBD’. detached family home, there has been a shift in Rejuvenation of Lewis Park and Blind Creek. Open housing types being built over the last five years. space becomes more precious as our suburbs The market for higher density housing across become more intensely developed. ‘Unlocking’ outer suburban Melbourne has grown and this is green open spaces and better integrating them increasingly the case in Knox. Knox Central is well- with their surrounds provides increasingly placed to respond this market shift, with large valuable access for the community. areas of underutilised land. Increased private and public sector investment In 2015, Council adopted the Knox Housing including increasingly diverse housing options Strategy which designates Knox Central as an area and greater employment opportunities, along that will accommodate higher density housing. with transport infrastructure improvements such Focusing higher density residential development as the extension of the Route 75 Tram from in major centres, such as Knox Central, supports Vermont South to Knox Central. Council’s desire to maintain the low scale Investment that provides maximum benefit to the character of Knox’s suburban streets. community – particularly by making Knox Central more accessible, providing greater amenity, and a greater ‘sense of place’. 2 KNOX CENTRAL STRUCTURE PLAN – FINAL DRAFT (OCTOBER 2017) | Knox City Council Figure 1 Knox Central Activity Centre in the Knox context - boundary shown in solid red outline 3 KNOX CENTRAL STRUCTURE PLAN – FINAL DRAFT (OCTOBER 2017) | Knox City Council 1 THE SETTING Part Access, Movement and Transport Knox Central is large in scale (approximately two Open Space and Recreation kilometres east to west) with the central spine being The main roads within Knox Central, particularly Burwood Highway, generally between Stud Road and Knox Central has several significant open space and Burwood Highway, represent significant barriers for Scoresby Road. Knox Central is characterised by a recreational assets, including: pedestrians. However, the shared path network broad mix of land uses and activities, which are shown Lewis Park within Knox Central provides opportunities for in Figure 2. walking and cycling off-road. The Blind Creek Trail Blind Creek Corridor Knox Central contains significant open space and runs the length of Knox Central and provides an east- natural assets and enjoys selected long range views to Collier Reserve west shared path through the activity centre. the Dandenong Ranges. Gateshead Reserve Buses provide the sole form of public transport available within and to Knox Central. A significant Built Environment Knox Community Garden bus interchange is located at Westfield Knox. The Buildings within Knox Central are a mix of low scale Lewis Park comprises three sporting ovals, a sporting closest train stations are Bayswater, Boronia and buildings and more significant developments. pavilion, a playground, a small skate park and part of Ringwood, which are linked by bus services to Knox Westfield Knox is a significant presence within the the Blind Creek Trail shared path. Central. Activity Centre. At-grade carparks currently form a Parking is not currently a significant issue in Knox major part of the urban form of this site when viewed Natural Environment and Landscape Central. However, at-grade car parks are highly from the public realm. Knox Central has a significant role to play in terms of visible particularly from Burwood Highway. This In recent years, several large scale residential improving biodiversity outcomes, and the associated results in a poor urban design outcome and developments have occurred on Burwood Highway environmental and social benefits this brings. The compromised pedestrian amenity. and Stud Road. Some of these developments could Activity Centre forms part of a habitat corridor have made a more positive contribution to the public stretching from the Dandenong Ranges to the Education Facilities realm. Dandenong Valley. Knox Central has a number of A unique aspect of Knox Central is the provision of identified sites of biological significance associated quality education facilities with the confines of the Business Mix and Employment with Lewis Park, the Blind Creek corridor and nearby centre, including the Wantirna South Primary School, Business in Knox Central is dominated by retail. areas. St Andrews Christian College, Fairhills High School However it also has a unique position within Blind Creek and Lewis Park are significant water (including a 300 seat Performing Arts Theatre Melbourne’s Eastern Region, encompassing a more assets within the Activity Centre, but are currently available to community groups), a Chinese language significant manufacturing and wholesaling presence underutilised. The Lewis Park retarding basin plays school, and the Knox Innovation,