Council prioritises community consultation and our work and progress during 2016–17 has helped shape two outstanding initiatives: a local shopping strip consultation as part of the Activity Centre, Housing and Local Economy Strategy and our Transforming our Neighbourhoods Together Project.

Stage one — Tell us what you love about your shopping strip began in November 2016 with the circulation of a survey to gather important feedback, which was used to develop a community-owned vision for shopping centres and shopping strips across Glen Eira. More than 2,000 surveys were received and 800 people posted feedback on social media in relation to their local shopping strips (activity centres).

Survey responses detailed information about what people liked and disliked about the centres, including strong support for local cafes and businesses, and indicated popular methods of accessing the shopping strips.

This feedback has led to a draft a vision strategy and key objectives for activity centres at Bentleigh; Carnegie; Elsternwick; Caulfield Station; Moorabbin; Glen Huntly; Alma Village; Bentleigh East; Caulfield Park; Caulfield South; Gardenvale; Hughesdale; McKinnon; Murrumbeena; Ormond; Patterson; Ripponlea; and East Village. By the end of 2017 we hope to have four structure plans in place, one each for Bentleigh, Carnegie, Elsternwick and East Village.

Stage two — Transforming our Neighbourhoods Together Project included concepts based on community ideas and was undertaken from March to April 2017. This initiative involved developing a draft vision and key objectives for all of Glen Eira’s activity centres, and concept project ideas for Carnegie, Bentleigh, Elsternwick, Murrumbeena and Hughesdale (activity centres with structure plans in the process of being developed in 2017 or which are undergoing level crossing removals).

Stage three of the initiative, carried out in May 2017, included the Activity Centre, Housing and Local Economy Strategy and preliminary structure plan exploration. This Strategy is a high level Citywide future plan that identifies the key principles and roles for Glen Eira’s network of activity centres and shopping strips.

Stages four to eight will include the production of Quality Design Principles and draft concept plans in August 2017, followed by further draft concept plans and Quality Design Guidelines in October 2017. Final structure plans will be presented to Council for adoption in late 2017.

Once the structure plans have been adopted, Council will seek authorisation from the Minister for Planning to commence the planning scheme amendment process in order to implement our projects into the Glen Eira Planning Scheme.