Templestowe Village Neighbourhood Activity Centre Parking Strategy and Parking Precinct Plan

Client:  Manningham City Council

Project Summary:  Preparation of a Parking Strategy and Parking Precinct Plan to improve existing facilities and plan for future expansion at Templestowe Village Neighbourhood Activity Centre.

Key Issues:  There is currently an imbalance between parking supply and demand in the northern and southern parts of Templestowe Village.  Walking is made difficult by steep slopes and traffic barriers.  Extra problems occur on Saturdays when the Basketball Centre is active.

Contact:  Russell Symons

Project Details

Templestowe Village is situated in Templestowe with the Neighbourhood Activity Centre bound by Foote, Anderson, Milne and Wood Streets, Templestowe.  Over the preceding 10 year period, the centre had increased in popularity with many new uses, especially cafes, restaurants and take-way food premises opening in the centre.  As a result car parking within the Centre had emerged as a contentious issue for many stakeholders.

The objectives of the study were to:

  • Provide an understanding of existing supply and demand opportunities / constraints of the centre to allow better utilisation of the existing parking supply;
  • Provide options to address parking issues and needs (both long and short term);
  • Identify and assess mechanisms to implement parking solutions;
  • Prepare a Parking Study and PPP for implementation into the Manningham Planning Scheme, including Clause 52.06 Car Parking.

 

The Challenges:    

Parking within the Templestowe Activity Centre had become a contentious issue with a perceived deficiency of car parking within the centre.  Car parking was located in sometimes isolated and difficult to locate areas with individual car parking areas poorly designed due to constraints of separate land titles.

The most significant challenge associated with the study was undertaking the appropriate level of consultation, with all stakeholders to ensure that no one particular user group within the Activity Centre felt they were disadvantaged by the outcomes of the PPP and the various recommendations within the Car Parking Study.

 

The Approach:

Ratio Consultants undertook car parking occupancy surveys, detailed interview surveys and patronage counts within the Templestowe Activity Centre over a 12 hour period to identify the existing car parking characteristics of the centre.  This data was analysed against previous surveys undertaken by Council and various strategic documents to generate accurate car parking generation rates for incorporation into the PPP.  Ratio then undertook a review of pedestrian accessibility, bicycle connectivity, and public transport accessibility and made a number of recommendations to better utilise the existing parking supply.

 

The Result:

The review and assessment of the data allowed reduced car parking generation rates for future Retail Uses, Cafes, Restaurants, Hair and Beauty Salons and Minor Sports and Recreational Facilities into the Manningham Planning Scheme. A number of short, medium and long term traffic and parking recommendations were made to improve residential amenity and better utilise the existing car parking supply including the introduction of a Trader Permit Scheme, traffic calming (in conjunction with VicRoads) and the introduction of various parking controls such as additional disabled parking, the introduction of Taxi Zones and more on-street loading opportunities.