The Bayswater Renewal Strategy
Revitalising the Bayswater Activity Centre
The Challenge
Bayswater is located at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges and has evolved into a multicultural and cosmopolitan hub. Today, Bayswater is designated as a major activity centre, however existing physical and built form constraints have impacted the centre’s future potential. With the existing Structure Plan due for review, Council commissioned the development of The Bayswater Renewal Strategy which will set out a 30-year strategic framework to guide future growth and development. The Renewal Strategy will explore a range of opportunities to improve housing diversity, urban design outcomes, create vibrant public spaces and enhance community facilities.
CoFutures is working with a large multidisciplinary team of planning and design experts to lead a two-phase consultation process which will gather community feedback and test a range of future opportunities and ideas. This feedback will help to shape the final Renewal Strategy and implementation plan.
What We Did
To date, CoFutures has:
- Delivered a series of community pop-up sessions around the centre.
- Run targeted engagement with major landowners and local businesses.
- Facilitated internal workshops with Council staff, design and planning teams to identify issues and opportunities for the centre.
- Reviewed and translated technical reports into graphically designed brochures which distil key findings in an easy-to-understand manner.
- Prepared engaging communications collateral to promote the engagement activities including graphically designed posters, flyers and postcards.
- Reviewed community and stakeholder feedback and developed a detailed engagement report.
Outcomes
CoFutures completed the first phase of the community and stakeholder consultation in 2022, which saw a range of feedback provided from diverse groups. We are currently working with Council and the project team to share findings from the first phase of the community engagement process and consider how it could influence the draft Renewal Strategy. The draft Strategy will be available for public feedback in the next phase of the project, anticipated to commence in early 2024.
