Vision for a more dense city centre

(Towns and cities that spread without limit stretch their infrastructure beyond which sustainability becomes difficult, if not impossible. The fact that densification is not opposed by the Greater Shepparton City Council is heartening. Examples from all corners of the world illustrate that urban areas that can be easily traversed on foot or by bicycle are socially safer, better places to live, more economically sound and, finally, better positioned to adapt to environmental changes brought on by climate change - Robert McLean)

While 40-storey skyscrapers towering across the central business district skyline are likely a while away yet, Greater Shepparton City Council is not against pushing towards a taller and more dense city centre.

Under construction: The Shepparton
Law Courts redevelopment is ongoing.

As the new under construction Shepparton Courthouse grows, and with the forthcoming new fivestorey Shepparton Art Museum planned to start being built next year, one of Shepparton’s key planners and the city’s mayor cautiously supported a taller city with more residential and commercial development.

An .id economics analysis of last year’s census data found Greater Shepparton’s population of just more than 65 000 was spread across 2421 sq km or 242 136 ha.

That leaves a population density of 0.26 head per square hectare across the city.

Activities outlined in the council’s 2008 CBD strategy include attracting more people to live in the CBD, providing broader housing choices and supporting the CBD’s economy.

‘‘An increase in building height throughout the main activity areas of the CBD and a more consistent height at the street edge would create the impression of the streets having a stronger built form,’’ the strategy reads.

Also outlined in the CBD strategy are building visions for a variety of different precincts. These include a retail core precinct ‘‘with higher building forms around to denote its significance’’, a commercial office precinct ‘‘enlivened by residents living above ground-floor offices’’, incorporating ‘‘increased height along Welsford St and a medium density secondary office/retail area’’.

The council’s planning manager Colin Kalms said a minimum of three storeys was desired around Victoria Park Lake to avoid ‘‘underdevelopment’’, for example, in part maximising views.

‘‘Currently the Shepparton CBD is quite flat,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re trying to encourage the replacement of one-storey buildings to try more intensive land use — trying to encourage more of that office development, encourage density in the CBD.’’

Mr Kalms said if two storey buildings continued to be built, the urban footprint would only expand out rather than skywards.

Mayor Dinny Adem warned against cities extending infrastructure out too far, accompanied by the associated maintenance costs.

‘‘We can’t just keep stretching out our infrastructure when there’s the option to go up,’’ he said.

Cr Adem said a taller, more dense Shepparton was something he approached with cautious confidence, but drew the line at much exceeding five storeys.

‘‘The concept is about inner-city living, rather than on the outskirts,’’ Cr Adem said.

Cr Adem hoped such a future boost in density, and especially inner-city living options, would help Shepparton’s night-time economy.

‘‘After 5 pm, it’s pretty well lights out,’’ he said.

An architect's impression of the new Shepparton
Arts Museum at Victoria Park Lake.

‘‘If you have 1000 people living in the CBD, there’s opportunities for all sorts of other businesses to operate and be successful.’’

Mr Kalms said so far the big limiting factor was the financial viability of developing residential areas in Shepparton’s CBD.

‘‘It’s around making sure it’s financially doable,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s about whether it makes economic sense.’’

Thomas Moir wrote in today’s Shepparton News about this change in direction for the Victorian regional city -  “Vision for a more dense city centre.”