Preferred character statement

This precinct is the cultural heart of Eltham where people celebrate their local community and artistic spirit, and access a range of health and professional services. The Library and its associated facilities is the key iconic building. It is also the precinct that culturally and physically links the other parts of the Activity Centre. The precinct should comprise a range of community and commercial activities that will attract people and provide opportunities to access services and participate in events and activities. The precinct includes sites and buildings that are underused, and that provide opportunities to attract new facilities that can accommodate events and activities. Mixed use developments that incorporate residential at the upper levels will increase the vibrancy of the precinct.

Objectives

• To create an active, vibrant cultural heart for the Activity Centre by providing a range of community, cultural, residential and professional services.

• To encourage an activated pedestrian environment to the rear of Main Road buildings to provide safe and convenient access between the community facilities to the south and the public transport facilities.

• To encourage a new landmark/iconic building at the former Eltham Shire Office site at 895 Main Road.

• To ensure buildings are of a high quality design, with a commitment to universal access for everyone.

• To establish a major employment anchor to support local non-tradeable activity (e.g. health, education or public administration).

• To reimagine and reconnect community uses.

• To create a lively and people-based precinct with civic and community spaces that enhance community interaction and general health and well-being, accommodating a wide variety of community functions, including the display of community art and artefacts which reflect the artistic and cultural aspirations of the community.

• To create a lively and people-based centre, accommodating a wide variety of place based activities, including pop-up parks, playgrounds, markets, festivals and events.

• To encourage public artwork.

• To improve pedestrian and cycling amenity between the precinct and the train station.

• To provide a multi-purpose Community Hub.

• Advocate for the Community Hospital to be located in Precinct 5.

Strategies

• Investigate the potential to implement a Community Hub.

• Investigate potential sites for a Community Hospital.

• Investigate potential sites to establish a regional art gallery and complimentary community uses such as an auditorium, community cinema, community kitchen, office and activity spaces for visiting agencies and community service/ customer information centre.

• Investigate the opportunity to relocate existing car parking adjacent to the Eltham Library to enable additional place activation.

• Implement footpaths along Panther Place.

• Investigate a pedestrian/ cycling connecting from the Eltham Library to the train station, adjacent to the rail line.

• Investigate improved pedestrian/ cycling connection east west under the rail line on Panther Place (footpath currently not formalised).

Design Guidelines

• Buildings fronting Main Road to the north of 909 Main Road should:

- Include mixed use development (any combination of retail, office, medium density housing and community services).

- Be designed with active frontages to the street at ground level including facade articulation, inclusions of windows and entries.

- Provide 65-80% clear glazing (non-reflective) between a height of 0.5m and 2.4m above the footpath offering unobstructed views into the building.

- Provide pedestrian entries at least every 15m.

- Provide continuous weather protection (such as cantilevered canopies/ verandahs) over footpaths.

- Include a street wall that includes both a fine grain and strong vertical articulation to deliver visual interest.

- Provide upper levels that are articulated with building recesses and balcony treatments.

• Development fronting to Main Road and the railway line should provide active uses at ground level and safe and convenient access to the adjacent public transport facilities.

• Development to the south of 909 Main Road (including the former Eltham Shire Office site) should maintain generous landscaped setbacks from the street and retain established vegetation.

• Development backing onto the railway car park should provide internal pedestrian connections through to Main Road.

• Development fronting Library Place and the car park should include active frontages.

• Development backing onto the railway line and station should provide for a variation and articulation in façade treatments and allow for passive surveillance by incorporating active frontages to the railway line and car park.

• Thick and robust building elements such as colonnades should be incorporated into the design of new buildings.

• Service areas and car parking should be located at the rear of buildings or serviced from laneways and concealed from the public realm.

• Where relevant, new development should incorporate acoustic treatments responding to the railway environment to minimise adverse amenity impacts.

• Built form should achieve a general stepping of the building in a westerly direction from the high point along Main Road.

• Development should recognise heritage elements within the precinct.