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Final Draft
Deer Park Rail Corridor
Urban Design Principles
December 2019
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Deer Park Rail Corridor Urban Design Principles
The following ten key Urban Design Principles have been prepared to guide the
development of three at-grade level crossing removals, two (2) new stations and the rail
line “quadruplication” and electrification to Melton and Wyndham Vale, and as part of a
suite of projects to be delivered via the Level Crossing Removal Authority (LCRA), Rail
Projects Victoria (RPV) and Regional Rail Revival. Regional Fast Rail to Geelong may also
be added to the scope.
These Principles have been prepared to establish a consistent message from Council, and
have been through a community consultation process to ensure Councils advocacy is in
line with community expectations of the project. The Principles establish a consistent
message and provide certainty to the design and delivery teams when negotiating
appropriate outcomes on rail-related projects along the Deer Park Rail Corridor.
1. Deliver holistic
integrated
redevelopments
of station
precincts
•
Ensure that development maximises benefits for the
community.
•
Ensure the delivery of an integrated network of streets and
linkages featuring ground floor retail, commercial and
active frontages in appropriate locations.
•
Ensure that the design of Deer Park Station integrates with
and supports future uses on the Orica Site and Paramount
Industrial Park.
•
Ensure bus stops are located close to train stations and that
linkages and waiting areas provide all-weather protection
for users
•
Ensure that the locations of Major Hazard Facilities are
taken into consideration in determining the long-term
planning for the highest and best use outcomes at Deer
Park.
•
Take a pro-active and “whole of government” approach to
facilitate renewal and appropriate change in the residential
areas around Ardeer Station.
•
Consider options for car parking in line with Brimbank
Parking Strategy; minimise the extent of at-grade parking
by providing car parking in multi-deck structures with active
frontages or in car parks that are designed to facilitate their
future redevelopment.
•
Maximise development opportunities underneath elevated
rail stations.
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2. Create a ‘sense
of place’ for the
local community
with a distinctive
character
specific to
Brimbank
•
Ensure movement to and from stations and buses is through
public spaces supported by a range of local commercial and
community activity in appropriate locations.
•
Ensure the design quality of both buildings and the public realm
adjacent and connecting to stations are of a high quality.
•
Ensure culturally relevant and place-specific public art is
integrated into the design of buildings and the public realm.
•
Ensure that the cultural, natural and built heritage is respected
and enhanced.
•
Ensure the vision of the Ardeer Green Activity Hub Masterplan is
delivered as part of the project.
•
Ensure that stands of existing trees along the corridor and within
the Ardeer Green Activity Hub are integrated and celebrated.
•
Ensure the M80 Ring Road/Rail Juncture is treated as an
integrated landscape node and gateway opportunity.
•
Ensure a high-quality contextually responsive landscape and noise
wall design is delivered along the full corridor.
•
Ensure that the diversity of existing Ecological Vegetation Classes
is retained, and that remnant grasslands are respected and
enhanced.
3. Design legible
station precincts
•
Ensure that stations and interchanges are easily found from
surrounding neighbourhoods by pedestrians and cyclists.
•
Ensure that activities within the station precinct and broader
activity centre are easily found upon arrival at the centre by train
or bus.
•
Ensure that any on-street bus interchanges contribute to the
legibility, safety and amenity of the station precinct.
•
Ensure that sight lines from the surrounding residential areas are
acknowledged in locating and designing new stations and
forecourts.
•
Ensure that new development is used to frame or terminate key
vistas.
•
Ensure a wayfinding strategy is integrated in the corridor design.
•
Provide clear, safe and appropriately located ‘kiss and ride’ drop
off areas at stations.
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4. Maximise
economic
development
opportunities
•
Ensure higher order employment uses on the Orica and Paramount
Industrial Estate sites can be realised with the addition of
metropolitan rail services to Deer Park Station.
•
Encourage design teams to locate their offices in the Sunshine
Town Centre.
•
Encourage construction crews to shop locally, including developing
and promoting a local business directory.
•
Encourage the employment of local workers for construction.
•
Encourage procurement of local goods and services.
•
Encourage the Government to set local procurement and
employment targets in all contracts.
•
Demonstrate Value Capture and Creation opportunities.
5. Maximise
community
connectivity
across the
corridor
•
Retain and upgrade existing at-grade pedestrian connections
across the railway line
•
Ensure that cross-corridor connections are located to provide
convenient access to east-west bus services for the communities
south of the rail line.
•
Ensure that cross-corridor connectivity is increased between key
community facilities and activity centres in Deer Park, Derrimut
and Ardeer.
•
Future proof the Robinsons Road level crossing removal to allow
for proposed road widening.
•
Future proof cross-corridor connectivity between Orica and
Paramount Industrial Estate.
•
Investigate an additional pedestrian / cycle crossing underneath
the rail line on the west side of the Kororoit Creek.
•
Ensure that new pedestrian linkages to and from the station and
interchange and across the rail corridor are located and designed
as part of an integrated public realm network.
•
Ensure that pedestrian connections to surrounding residential
areas are direct, safe and legible.
•
Ensure DDA compliance is incorporated.
•
Ensure any known potential future rail and freight investment is
considered and does not reduce connectivity across the corridor.
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6. Integrate local
and regional
cycle
connections
•
Ensure that a direct, grade-separated Shared Use Path is delivered
alongside the M80 Ring Road with access to the Melton Shared
Use Path and the Kororoit Creek Path.
•
Ensure that a designated cycle crossing of the rail line is
incorporated in the vicinity of Sydney Street to connect the Shared
User Path (SUP) along Forrest Street with Fraser Street and the
Sunshine Town Centre.
•
Ensure that a designated Shared Use Path bridge is provided
across Kororoit Creek
•
Ensure that the Melton Shared Use Path from Sunshine to Melton
via Tilburn Road is delivered along the northern side of the rail
corridor, starting at Fitzgerald Road and continuing along the
Ballarat Line, passing underneath Deer Park Station, over
Robinsons Road and intersecting with the Western Freeway Path.
•
Ensure provision is made for the future RRL Shared Use Path to
negotiate the Robinsons Road Grade Separation and rail-rail
flyovers and pass underneath the Western Freeway interchanging
with the Western Freeway Path.
•
Ensure that a dedicated Shared Use Path is provided along the
eastern side of Robinsons Road.
•
Ensure that the Deer Park Town Centre off-road SUP along
Burnside/Byrne is directly connected to the new Deer Park station
precinct.
•
Ensure that local cycle connections into the Regional Shared Use
Path network are facilitated.
•
Ensure that end-of-trip facilities are provided at Stations.
•
Provide bike maintenance equipment at key points along shared
paths.
•
Ensure the location and design of pedestrian and cycle paths are
sensitive to the ecological requirements of the area, and do not
create barriers to connectivity.
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7.
Engage with the
community as
part of the
decision-making
process
•
Communicate clearly with potentially affected community
members.
•
Consult with surrounding residents and the Brimbank community
as part of the design development process, including engaging
with established community and local interest groups
•
Ensure that the Brimbank /Melton LGA boundary does not impact
on engagement with both communities on issues of shared impact
8. Create a
sustainable
corridor
•
Prioritise walking, cycling and public transport access to the
stations and along and across the corridor, ahead of private
vehicles.
•
Create clear and direct pedestrian movement between transport
modes.
•
Maximise greening and canopy cover opportunities in all built
areas and encourage additional tree planting in degraded areas
while maintaining the integrity of local ecosystems.
•
Ensure Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is integrated in all
aspects of the project.
•
Ensure Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design is integrated into all
aspects of the project.
•
Maximise the retention of native vegetation and fauna habitat.
The design and construction of the project must contribute to
improving habitat and connectivity for local flora and fauna
species; and invest in opportunities to create or improve fauna
passages (i.e. underpasses etc.)
•
Ensure Green Infrastructure is integrated with all built forms.
•
Future proof the corridor and new infrastructure, including
bridges, by ensuring known future rail projects are considered in
the design.
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9. Prioritise safety
as a design
consideration
•
Ensure that rail stations, bus interchanges and public realm
linkages are supported by a range of activities for day and night
time use.
•
Ensure the public realm is designed to optimise natural
surveillance and supported by quality lighting.
•
Minimise opportunities for graffiti and vandalism in the public
realm by providing articulated and interesting surfaces, integrated
artwork, durable materials and anti-graffiti coating where
appropriate.
•
Prioritise clear, safe and direct pedestrian and cyclist movements
to the stations, between transport modes, across the corridor and
through car parks.
•
Ensure changes to roads and streets are designed and constructed
to prioritise and improve safety, especially around stations.
10.Minimise
physical, visual
and acoustic
amenity impacts
•
Ensure that temporary signage and business marketing campaigns
are used during construction to minimise adverse impacts.
•
Ensure that new infrastructure minimises the barrier effect of the
rail corridor on cross corridor movement
•
Ensure that new infrastructure minimises the visual impact of the
rail corridor on its surroundings.
•
Ensure that new infrastructure minimises and does not exacerbate
the acoustic impacts of rail on the existing and future surrounding
communities.
•
Maintain pedestrian and vehicle access to abutting properties.
•
Negotiate closely with affected property owners and tenants to
address their concerns and adequately compensate for property
encroachment or loss of amenity.