Town Centre to build on Westbrook success
With land sales at Westbook having drawn to a close, the Dennis Family Corporation has turned its attention towards planning for the future development of the neighbouring Tarneit Major Town Centre to be strategically located adjacent to Tarneit train station.
It is an extremely exciting project for the local community, but one that is still in the planning stages and there will be some time yet before the precinct begins to take shape.
Map of the future town centre next to Westbrook, north of Tarneit Station below Business Park and Civic South.
Approval of the urban design framework for the town centre was received from Wyndham City Council in late 2023.
DFC’s Planning and Operations teams have subsequently been progressing the development of the town centre master plan and are currently focused on adding the finer details, including work around stage planning, product type review, and funding analysis.
Encompassing approximately 70 hectares, the town centre is designed to be a mixed-use zone combining retail/commercial facilities with medium and high density residential living options.
The town centre is planned to be connected directly to the Westbrook estate via road and pathways crossing over Skeleton and Dry Creeks, providing easy access for residents by car, cycle or on foot.
DFC’s vision is for the town centre to contribute to the overall liveability of Melbourne’s west and become a major business hub in the region. It will be home to a mix of employment, retail, civic and social infrastructure together with opportunities for a unique lifestyle.
The town centre is a long-term project, to be developed in stages across several different precincts, beginning with residential development and the City of Wyndham’s Indoor Recreation Centre, to be located off Derrimut Road.
The first residential offering is likely to be a mix of small lots and townhouses, with apartments to follow later in the overall project. It is anticipated that the town centre will accommodate more than 700 townhouses/small lots, plus the addition of more than 1,600 apartments within its boundaries in the short to medium term.
DFC is currently seeking to engage with potential preferred builders with a view to partnering in the delivery of the townhouse and small lot dwellings to the market in the future.
The town centre is also planned to encompass a wide range of retail/commercial facilities including supermarkets, mini-majors, discount department stores, specialty retailing and large format retailing, cinema, restaurants, performing arts centre, community centre, aged care and a medical precinct.
It is intended for the non-residential areas of the town centre to provide a thriving retail and entertainment zone offering a variety of experiences.
Importantly, as the town centre matures, it will have the capacity to provide 8,000 jobs and could potentially house close to10,000 people, along with being integral to delivering the concept of the ‘20-minute neighbourhood’ within the wider Tarneit area.
From a transport network perspective, the town centre will be well-connected to the metropolitan rail, bus and cycle systems, as well as providing access to regional areas.
Sustainability and creating a sense of place also form an important part of the town centre planning. Landscaping, heritage and art are to be incorporated into the open space and building design. Green roofs, vertical gardens, shady tree canopies in streets are planned to encourage walking and cycling to the wider open space network and heritage trail.
Whilst some of the parks will include natural landscape spaces, the creek corridor is intended to form the major green space within the town centre boundaries.
At this stage, it is anticipated that the civil construction work on the future development of the town centre is likely to begin in the first half of 2028. DFC will continue to provide updates and more information on anticipated time frames as the project progresses towards commencement.
Read more about the Tarneit Major Town Centre on The Loop, Wyndham City Council.
Title image: Screenshot from Tarneit Major Town Centre Urban Design Framework, December 2023