Hamilton CBD Streetscape Revitalisation

Project information

Southern Grampians Shire Council are working to design improvements to Hamilton’s central business area’s streets and public spaces to benefit residents, businesses and visitors. The project was identified as part of the city-wide Hamilton Structure Plan prepared for Council in 2012, the Hamilton CBD Masterplan in 2020 and aligns with the New Hamilton Gallery project and the Government Hub Build.

The Hamilton CBD Revitalisation Project will focus on the CBD streetscape between Kennedy and Cox; and French and Lonsdale Streets.

This project will explore options to improve public spaces, introduce more public art and signage, parking, and improved trees and landscaping.

It's about strengthening the role of the town centre as the place where the community comes together the place where locals go to shop, meet and chat and just hang out. We need to provide new activities, events and spaces that draw people in and make them want to stay making the town centre the heart of the community for both special events and everyday life.

Project Update

In March 2024 Council appointed Group GSA Pty Ltd, landscape consultants from Melbourne, to design the Hamilton CBD Streetscape Project. The scope of the contract is to prepare Concept Designs, Detailed Designs and final Tender Drawings and Specifications to insert into construction contract tender documents.

The aim of the project is to revitalise an ageing CBD streetscape, to build upon the current business activity and ensure the CBD is an exciting and attractive place to visit into the future.

The plans have been developed to ensure the designs reflect a vision for the town centre derived from previously undertaken community consultation broken into three key themes:

• Strengthening Heritage and Character
• Local and Creative; and
• Bringing the Community Together

Various elements in these designs and then as the project progresses into the detailed design stage will look to reflect these themes as well as integrating into the new Hamilton Art Gallery and Community Hub projects.

In September 2024, the consultant briefed the Council and led a public consultation forum in Hamilton providing some draft concept design options for the CBD.

Concepts Plans have now been developed which are now available for public consultation until 9am Monday 17 February.

The plans will then be presented to Council for adoption to allow the next stage of the project, the detailed design component of this package of works, to be completed.

Concept Plans for the remainder of the CBD Streetscape will be prepared in 2025 with further consultation planned later in 2025.

Staged delivery

Due to the large area of upgrades, the project will be constructed in three stages, known as “work packages”, over multiple years. Delivering the upgrades incrementally in this way will help to minimise disruption to business operators and their patrons. The approximate extent of works for each package is shown on the map below.

The west side of Brown Street between the library and the Church will be upgraded as part of other upcoming capital works projects such as the new art gallery and Community Hub, and is therefore excluded from this project however it will still be completed in the same style and finishes as this project.

The number of each package denotes the order in which it will be designed and constructed, i.e. Package 1 is the first package which is currently being designed which will be delivered in 2025. Packages 2 and 3 will be delivered in future years subject to future budget allocations.

Concept plans explained

The Concept Plans (available to download and view below) provide recommendations to upgrade the existing road pavement and replace kerb and channel, footpaths, street furniture, lighting and trees with contemporary robust and sustainable elements that will both be aesthetically pleasing and easy to maintain. The report provides a design pallet of each of the landscaping elements which, if accepted by Council, will provide the basis of the detailed design process. It also includes areas for public art which will be considered further as part of the Detailed Design Stage.

It should be noted that this is a concept plan and items such as the exact location of bins, seats and other public infrastructure will be confirmed in the next stage of the design process.

As the road reserves in the CBD are relatively narrow, there are limited opportunities to widen footpaths, having regard for the need for through traffic lanes and parallel parking both sides of the street. However, the proposed design provides for a widened and lengthened landscaped footpath central activity zone, with better, more attractive facilities for pedestrians and improved facilities for persons with disabilities.

The current central zebra crossing with flashing lights is proposed to be retained, with the existing central widened footpath area to be lengthen and landscaped to provide a vibrant central activity zone. The crossing will however be raised with treatments completed on either side of the road pavement. The two other existing widened footpath areas with informal narrow road crossings are proposed to be removed to offset the loss of car parks in the central activity zone.

The total number of existing parking bays in the central block of Gray Street is 38, comprising 34 standard metered bays, three loading bays and one accessible bay. As a result of the proposed reconfiguration above, the design proposes a slightly reduced total number of 36 parking bays, comprising 31 standard metered bays, three loading bays and two accessible bays. The new parking meters and bins will be relocated, where necessary.

The existing kerb and channel is proposed to be renewed and the existing loosely laid brick red brick footpath paving is to be removed and replaced with a pallet of stone paving laid on a reinforced concrete slab.

Generally, the road pavement will be hot mix asphalt with feature stone paving on the road in the vicinity of the central pedestrian crossing as well as in the exterior sections of the roundabouts.

As indicated in the Concept Plans, the current street trees (London Plane) throughout the CBD are causing issues and risks for Council due to how invasive their roots are being typically shallow and extending well beyond what other species do.

For these reasons, they are proposed to be removed as part of the project as each package is reconstructed and replace the trees with more suitable semi-mature species e.g. trees already aged 8-10 years old. The consultant has recommended a selection of options for more suitable species. The final species selection will be determined as part of this consultation with a list of new species included as part of the Concept Plans.

Engagement

As part of Council’s engagement plan for the project, Council staff will be available to talk to residents directly and get their feedback from the shopfront at 107 Gray Street Hamilton from Wednesday 5 February to Saturday 8 February.

An engagement session for all businesses will also be held on Tuesday 4 February at the Hamilton Cinema from 5.30pm.

Residents can provide feedback via the below feedback form, at the Council offices in Brown Street or at the shopfront in Gray Street with feedback to be accepted until 9am Monday 17 February.