Federal government funds plan for ‘new city’ north of Melbourne

Three Melbourne councils are coming together, supported by federal funding, with a plan for a new centre of commerce, culture and community life. 

A release from Catherine King, minister for infrastructure and regional development, has shone a light on some big plans that are in the works for an area in Melbourne’s outer north that’s undergoing rapid change.

The federal government has announced it will provide $2.6 million to the city of Hume for what it has called “one of Australia’s most ambitious urban planning projects,” creating a city centre around Cloverton Boulevard in Kalkallo, at the heart of the Cloverton masterplanned estate. 

A project from developer Stockland, the new housing estate is set to be Victoria’s biggest masterplanned community upon completion, having kicked off in 2015 and expected to be in development for 30 years. 

The initiative to establish a major employment and commercial hub in the area is being led by the city of Hume under the title “Pioneering Urban Innovation: Planning a New City in Melbourne’s North”. 

Bringing together neighbouring local councils of Mitchell and Whittlesea as well as Stockland, the idea is that the city will serve as the primary employment and service centre for the suburbs of Mickleham, Kalkallo, Donnybrook, Beveridge and Wallan, creating employment opportunities for up to 50,000 workers.

All together, the population of these suburbs is estimated to reach 380,000 residents once the development of the area is complete.

The registered Aboriginal party of Wurundjeri is also consulting on the plan. 

According to the city of Hume, bringing these stakeholders together to collaboratively create the city plan is necessary “to avoid creating a series of disconnected communities growing in these areas”. 

The federal government’s contribution, which comes from the $150 million Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program (UPPP) fund, will support this cohort in its planning phase for the new city. 

Transport is reportedly set to be a big focus of the plan, with the Hume council stating that the project “will need to consider solutions that don’t generate further road congestion in the area”.  

Ms King said she was looking forward to seeing progress on the project, and how it – along with others funded under the UPPP program – could show “how governments, businesses and communities can work together to create innovative spaces to meet the growing demands of a community and appeal to tourists and locals alike. 

Federal Labor member for McEwen, Rob Mitchell, said the project would exemplify “sustainable, inclusive and innovative urban design”.  

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