Masterplan document presents shortlist
CROMWELL’S mall could be transformed into a ‘‘new heart’’ for the town through proposals suggested in a shortlist of options for the Cromwell masterplan.
The development would result in some buildings being knocked down, a new civic building and square developed, mixed residential/retail buildings encouraged and fourstorey developments allowed in some parts of the outer mall.
Cromwell’s town centre — or lack of — featured strongly in the Cromwell Masterplan Options document released yesterday.
Cromwell Community Board chairman Neil Gillespie said the lack of a ‘‘heart’’ for Cromwell was one of the main things in feedback gathered through extensive consultation for the masterplan.
Despite recent upgrades to the mall and surrounding areas, it was still not attracting as many people ‘‘as we would like’’.
The document said locals were ‘‘not inspired’’ to visit the town centre, office businesses were setting up in other locations, and Cromwell captured fewer visi tors than nearby towns.
When asked what one thing they would like to change about Cromwell, the highest proportion of respondents (36%) said they would like better shopping areas.
The document said the present location for Cromwell’s town centre was still the best one, given its proximity to recreational and civic facilities, existing commercial activities and access to the state highway.
However, future plans had to
consider ‘‘more than only the mall’’.
Of the three options presented for Cromwell’s town centre, the first proposes continuing the streetscape upgrade, improving walking and cycling access to greenways, upgrading and extending civic buildings, and working with property owners to redevelop retail/commercial tenancies and encourage more activity in the mall, including events.
The other two options propose
changing the layout of the mall, removing some buildings and developing a new civic building and square.
Three to fourstorey development would be encouraged on the outskirts of the mall, and mixeduse (retail/commercial/residential) development permitted.
The masterplan said ‘‘the most important thing’’ for residents was ‘‘how ambitious’’ they wanted plans to be.
There are no costings in the options document; they will only
be done once preferred solutions have been identified.
Community land sales, land exchanges, central government grants and private investments would all help fund developments.
The document also outlines possible areas for future residential and industrial growth, and options for developing an arts, culture and heritage centre focused on the Old Cromwell Heritage Precinct.
This would include deciding what to do with the Cromwell Memorial Hall.
The hall refurbishment rejected by the Cromwell Community Board has been included as one option, and developing new multipurpose facilities has also been proposed.
More community consultation will now be done on the shortlisted options, and it is hoped the final masterplan will be adopted by the Cromwell Community Board next June.