Start likely on ‘model village’

By Jim Mynard
CASEY Council was last night expected to give the green light for work to start on the amended Berwick Village streetscape.
Plans to completely remodel the village have been on hold, but appear ready to start later this year.
A report before the council said a special rate had been struck for the village that would have a lifecycle of about eight years.
Planned work in the Enterprise Avenue and Kangan Drive areas and powerlines undergrounding in High Street have been completed.
Casey team leader development planning Liam Hodgetts said in the report that the work now involved landscaping along High Street, Loveridge Walk, Blackburne Square, Paternoster Lane, the northern car park, Langmore Lane, portions of Clyde Road, and the north and south entries to the village.
Casey team leader development planning Liam Hodgetts said in the report that the Berwick Village Chamber of Commerce had played a proactive role in design and implementation of the streetscape works.
Mr Hodgetts said a regular channel of communication between council and chamber had been maintained.
“Discussion between chamber and officers focused on timelines, staging and project costs, with chamber members suggesting possible design improvements.”
Mr Hodgetts said officers and chamber representatives had visited Cowes, Phillip Island and took favourable note of work done in that township because of the similar street topography.
The design involves better defined pedestrian crossing points in High Street and large nodes at these crossing points.
Several terrace outstands will be built off the High Street footpath into the parallel parking area to create additional seating areas.
More carparking will be created in the boulevard area because of improved layout to compensate for the loss of car parks.
Mr Hodgetts said the work program was set for three stages.
The first stage will see construction of the High Street shopfront streetscape to both sides.
Stage two will develop the boulevard centre median and the third stage will involve develop work at Gloucester Avenue, Loveridge Walk, car parks, Paternoster Lane, Lyall Road, Langmore Lane, Clyde Road, Princes highway gateway, the railway station, and Blackburne Square.
Mr Hodgetts said officers considered the program for three construction stages would be more effective and would have a reduced impact on traders.