COUNCIL FLIP FLOP ON DONCASTER HILL PARKING
The current problems on Doncaster Hill can be traced back to years of indecision, flawed assumptions and bureaucratic bungling in the early planning of the activity centre that has contributed to the gross under supply of off street car parking we are experiencing today.
Glen Waverley Multi Deck
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Doncaster Hill Parking Overflow
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A study conducted in 2002, found there was a need for six satellite parking stations across Doncaster Hill, each with an average capacity of approximately 850 car bays. This was based on the the assumption that all parking, including resident and staff parking could be catered for without car parking being provided in individual developments. It was thought that new apartments could be sold without the provision of on-site parking! In a report supporting parking stations “On-street parking, by virtue of
Westfield rent land for customer parking
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Westfield Multi Deck Park To Commence next year
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kerbside parking is very limited in any event and unlikely to support the level of development expected in Doncaster Hill” “Incorporating visitor parking into car parking stations reduces the cost of such developments making them more (financially) viable”. It also said a parking station was “a better urban design outcome” and that charging for long-term off-street parking was “the key to the viability of parking stations”. In a revised study on car parking requirements for Doncaster Hill, after consultation with developers, many of whom held building permits with baseline parking, it was decided that resident and employee car parking could be accommodated in apartment and commercial developments after all.
Parking for shoppers and visitors ( five million per year expected by 2021) to Doncaster Hill could then be accommodated separately in two smaller satellite parking stations.
After further discussion they changed their mind again and determined that only one parking station would be required and would be built in the area of sub precinct 2. (the area south of Doncaster Road)
Then shortly after it was announced there would be sufficient parking available without the need for any parking stations on Doncaster Hill. This decision had nothing to do with the whether they were needed but the fact that there were no suitable sites available on Doncaster Hill with most of them being earmarked for high rise development. The report also reiterated four disadvantages to this plan, of which three were minor; the fourth was the workload on council officers in locating a site for the development of a parking station and the problem of finding an operator.
Doncaster Hill Parking Overflow in Walker St south
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Doncaster Hill Parking overflow in Arthur Street
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Joanne of Walker Street has asked that we publish these photos showing car parking overflow from Doncaster Hill on both sides of Arthur Street and Walker Street south, approx 350 metres from Doncaster Hill.
Streets closer to the Hill have had timed parking imposed which has resulted in motorists seeking alternative parking opportunities further into the residential areas.
The Doncaster Hill Parking Precinct Plan says; “The responsible authority will protect adjoining residential areas from the intrusion of car parking associated with developments within Doncaster Hill”.
Councillors had urged Manningham officers to consider adopting the cash for space strategy, that was proving successful at Glen Waverley Activity Centre which had experienced similar parking problems during its planning period.
The following was in response to the Parking Study for Glen Waverley 2003 which found there was “an insufficient supply of car parking spaces in the Activity Centre”. The Parking study went on to say,
Monash Multi Deck Car Parks
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“A fundamental issue to be addressed by this Parking Precinct Plan is that parking surveys carried out on a case by case basis can create a misleading impression that there is a parking surplus in the area which justifies a waiver of car parking. It is the intent of this Parking Precinct Plan that the ability to claim a waiver or reduction of car parking pursuant to Clause 52.06-1 be removed to stop a case by case approach to the provision of car parking and ensure that all new users and those intensifying existing uses provide car parking either on the land or by way of cash contribution to the provision of public car parking within the Bogong Avenue Car park”. (Two more Multi Deck car parks have been built since the Bogong complex opened in the Glen Waverley Activity Centre.)
Bogong Car Park 536 spaces Click to Enlarge
Monash City Council in 2003, as a result of the subsequent surge in car parking demand within the precinct, extended the multi deck car parking station in Bogong Street in Glen Waverley to a total amount to 536 spaces.
Before the completion of the parking extension there were over 1500 parking opportunities in the immediate area surrounding the centre without including the Glen-Centro car park. Parking has been boosted by the extra car spaces available in the two multi deck car parks erected since the completion of the Bogong extension.
10 Comments
You are not entirely correct on the issue of financing parking stations. Manningham did, at one stage, propose a “cash for space” parking plan for Doncaster Hill. The plan was to build two parking stations to cater for visitor and office parking in precincts 2 and 7. All developments in these precincts were given the option of providing additional parking on site or contribute to an infrastructure contribution scheme. It was a tentative half hearted plan that unravelled when it was realised they couldn’t get the land or a private operator. In the finish all developments were given reduced parking rates in a revamped Doncaster Hill Parking Precinct Plan and the opportunity to provide parking stations for visitor and office staff parking was lost
Parking rates on Doncaster Hill have been gradually reduced over the years, originally they were 1.3 spaces per one or two bedroom apartment then were reduced to 1.2 then 1.1. I don’t have the current rates but I believe state government might have reduced them further.
But of even greater concern is the lack of long stay public off street parking on Doncaster Hill which is causing car parking over spill to intrude into private residential areas.
There is limited parking available in the basement of the community hub and some short term parking available in the area surrounding the Civic Centre but it is either short term or dedicated for Council staff. There is some parking available in the area adjacent to the Bowling Club plus a limited number of spaces 150 metres north near the sports ground.
When the Civic Centre car park is at capacity cars are parking opposite in private car parks.
I cannot understand why Manningham council could not build the multi deck car parks if the smaller Glen Waverley activity centre were able to build three.
Manningham have claimed that when Westfield’s on site Multi Deck car Park is completed it will create additional parking for 570 cars. However council have failed to mention that Westfield is renting a privately owned development site in adjacent Tower street which is providing approximately 200 car spaces for staff and customers. Close by on the corner of Frederick Street is another key building site which contains 116 car spaces, being used mainly by Westfield customers, which means that when these sites are vacated for development shortly there might only be a net gain of 254 Car spaces.
Perhaps they should consult Westfield’s architect and engineers for advice on how to build a couple of urgently needed multi deck car parks instead of directing DH parking over spill into our residential streets.
To concentrate all parking into 6 parking stations would have been a disaster. The queuing of vehicles to access would have had a detrimental effect on traffic flow. It would be very difficult to sell apartments without a dedicated parking space where occupants could have immediate access to their car. Studies show that motorists are shying away from multi deck car parking instead preferring to seek out at grade parking even if it meant walking some distance.
Apart from the traffic and parking problems I thought Manningham council has done a reasonable job with the planning of Doncaster Hill given their lack of experience in dealing with high density development. I doubt that developers would ever have proceeded without on-site parking. You can’t compare the Doncaster Hill parking demand with that of Glen Waverley which has a lot of shops which may require a higher rate of parking, however they do seem to be able to create these multi deck car parks which could be the answer to meeting our car parking shortfall if we could build one or two here on Doncaster Hill.
The 5,100 parking spaces in six parking stations were designed to provide car parking for occupants of the 4080 apartments and their visitors plus parking for the staff of offices, retail and restaurants as well as their clientele in the mixed use developments (excluding Westfield) throughout Doncaster Hill. These low rates of parking were based on a sort of communal sharing e.g. when offices and retail outlets were closed restaurant patrons would have their parking and when apartment occupants were at work their spaces would be available for retail and office workers etc.etc… at least that was the theory.
Parking stations might be acceptable in the inner City because of the shortage but would not have worked in Doncaster. People want an allocated parking space in the building where they live not in a multi deck two blocks away.
Council’s willingness to extend parking space reductions, up to 20% below the statutory requirements in some instances, to high rise development has added considerably to the current shortfall of car parking occurring on Doncaster Hill. The only way this can be corrected is for Manningham Council planners to get off their backsides and create some public off street parking areas. Maybe they should talk to the people at Glen Waverley and Ringwood activity centres who appear to have solved their parking problems.
Parking is not the only worry. It is becoming extremely dangerous for pedestrians to cross Doncaster Road to get to Westfield from Clay Drive and Frederick Street. Not only is the time allowed very short but in busy periods there is a green light only to the halfway island then you have to wait an eternity for another green light to complete the crossing. Vic roads have said the two separate phases are only necessary in busy periods to clear Doncaster Road from traffic turning right from Westfield. When the traffic is not as heavy the pedestrian light allows you to cross Doncaster Road in one sequence but pedestrians must still look up to make sure they have a green light to complete the crossing. Can you imagine how it will be when the giant Bunnings development is built alongside Westfield.
Ringwood activity centre has more parking than what you can poke a stick at. Doncaster Hill has none by comparison unless you hack your way into Westfield shopping centre car park.