This land will be the primary area that community facilities will be located. Through a centralised ‘hub’ model, it is proposed to transition the existing community facility user groups into a purpose-built facility that provides the benefits of a centralised, intergenerational hub model. It is envisaged that this will be located at the site of the existing Community Centre and will take in land that is currently used for car parking and the Playhouse site.

The vision is to develop an Integrated Community Hub that provides a long-term facility for groups that currently use the Senior Citizens Centre, MCH, Playhouse, Child Care, Library, Arts and Culture Spaces, Meeting Rooms, U3A and Community Centre. Whilst there are longstanding associations with each of the buildings these users currently operate from, the development of an Integrated Community Hub presents an opportunity to provide greater access to the range of services within the centralised location, while also allowing for new programs and initiatives to take place in a facility that can accommodate the demands of the future. Council will consider opportunities to incorporate commercial uses into the space, to create additional activation and uplift opportunities as part of the hub and open space development.

The building footprint would be adjoined by a leafy green multi-generational open space area. Pocketed plazas and outdoor seating will surround the building footprint, to facilitate community connection and integration. Basement car parking will be provided to ensure that there is ample parking to meet the demand of such a facility.

Whilst there is further detail to be resolved with each group about how the facility would operate, whether there will be co-located but stand-alone facilities, or a more consolidated option will be worked through with stakeholders through the implementation of the Masterplan.

The design and scale of the building will have regard to the activity centre context but also the residential areas on the northern side of Willis Street, providing an appropriate interface at the edges of the development. Higher density development will be located at the south-western part of the site. The hub building will be a ‘neighbourhood scale’ facility with a floor area of approximately 3,500 square metres. Opportunities to provide affordable housing or other commercial uses at the Hub will also be considered as part of the subsequent design process.

It is important to ensure that the facility connects well with Hampton Street to ensure that the main street remains the primary commercial precinct, with a focus on community facilities and other uses that do not compete with the shop fronts along Hampton Street.

The car park on the eastern side of Willis Lane will remain as a car park before transitioning in the longer term to a new public open space area, creating visibility and linkages from Hampton Street to the new Community Hub. The configuration of the building footprint in this area may necessitate changes to the land plan, however the extent of building floorspace and open space will be worked through in the concept design stage, with open space being maximised.

The Scout Hall site will be transitioned to a car park in the short term, until the completion of the Hub when the site will become surplus and will be sold.