2 Bell St Eltham

Masterplan

2 Bell St Eltham

Adopted on 27 August 2013. To be reviewed in 2017. Any leases and works will include provision for this review point.

Project background

Development of the Bell Street Masterplan began in late 2011, after Nillumbik Shire Council was formally appointed as Committee of Management and the land “deemed temporarily reserved as a site for conservation, recreation, leisure and tourism purposes pursuant to section 5 (1) of the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978”. Following a series of site analyses and engagement with community, this masterplan presents a vision for a place important to the local people.

Project steps

About the site

Formerly a farm and market garden, the 4.87 hectares of land located at 2 Bell Street Eltham abuts Diamond Creek and forms part of a significant corridor of environmental, community and sporting facilities and spaces in Eltham. These include Eltham High School, the Diamond Creek Trail, Wingrove Park, Barak Bushlands, Eltham Leisure Centre, Alistair Knox Park, Eltham Community Reception Centre, Living & Learning Nillumbik Eltham, Eltham Library, Susan Street Reserve, Eltham Rugby Club, Eltham BMX track, Eltham Bowls Club and a skate park. Fifty-five per cent of the land area on 2 Bell Street is riparian vegetation, reserved for conservation purposes (refer to Appendix A). The site also has local heritage significance and is severely flood prone.

About the design

This masterplan attempts to present the general consensus of what people see happening on this site drawing on public consultation and the technical assessments. This design recognises that the land will continue to change and take shape as it evolves with use. With this in mind, the design consists of two parts reflected in the following table.

Title / Description / Led by /
Part A: site remediation
(short term: years 1-3 as funding is available) / Modifying and maintaining land as passive public open space (grading, planting, paths and bollards) / Council
Part B: land reserved for possible future uses (medium to long term) / Land will be reserved by Council for the other possible uses indicated on the masterplan. Council may allow these uses only if it receives and endorses a suitable proposal from the community. / Community (supported by Council)

Design vision

This masterplan aims to establish Bell Street as a place for all ages to stop and interact with the local community, nature and history. The space should also complement other public spaces in the area. It will be a site that evolves over time, with the potential for urban agriculture to provide an anchor for other activities that all align to the site’s history and identity and the community’s passion for the site.

Implementation approach

Appendix A shows the masterplan layout. The elements are listed in the table below. Additional detail can be found in Appendix B including:

· considerations relating to each identified use that is included in the masterplan

· uses that are identified as inappropriate for the site (including organised sport, fenced dog exercise enclosure, additional footbridge to Wingrove Park).

Category / Elements /
Part A: site remediation plan (1-3 years) / · Grading and planting of grass and trees (indigenous or fruit)
· Bollards
· Paths
· Regular maintenance
Part B: land reserved for possible future uses / · Cultural, historical and environmental signage and interpretation
· Netball and basketball half court
· Parking (car and bicycle)
· Play area
· Shaded barbeque area
· Shed, water, drink fountains, power and mural
· Street furniture (bins, picnic tables, benches and pod seating)
· Urban agriculture/community garden

For More Information

For more information on this Masterplan visit www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/BellStreet, email call 9433 3723.

Appendix A: Masterplan Layout

Appendix B: Additional detail

Overall design rationale

To accommodate the various intensities of use identified for the site, the masterplan broadly consists of three activity zones. These can be reflected as rings centred around the shed (refer to figure below).

1. The inner zone is where the density of activity is greatest and surrounded by play area, courts and bbq. Here people might participate in meetings, training, games and group activities. It is anticipated there would be extensive seating in this area.

2. The middle zone is where the picnic and open space activities might occur such as casual soccer and kite flying. Trees in this zone should provide shade and a sense of enclosure without being too enclosed.

3. The outer zone is adjacent to the bushland and creek. This is a more tranquil area for people to sit, reflect, take in the scenery and casually chat.

Part A: Site remediation

The following work can be completed as soon as funding is available and is what Council will give priority to in the next one to three years.

Use / Considerations /
Grading, planting and regular maintenance / The site will be graded to remove weeds, furrows and irrigation pipes. Pockets of indigenous vegetation will be used to provide shade, a sense of enclosure and a sense of entry for the paths. The design includes large grassed areas for easy maintenance, accessible open space and flexibility for future developments.
Bollards / Bollards will replace the current fence to give permeability for pedestrians and protection from unauthorised vehicle entry.
Paths / The main trail on Bell Street should be widened to 3 metres on a 1 metre grass ‘run off’ to accommodate commuter cyclists. Paths within the site will be 1.8 metres and 1.5 metres according to hierarchy of use.

Part B: Land reserved for possible future uses

This concept design reflects the potential uses that Council will reserve land for at 2 Bell Street. Activation of the uses on the land is subject to Council receiving and approving a suitable proposal from the community, in keeping with Council’s strategies and policies (including masterplan background documents listed on page 8). It assumes that uses are initiated by the community, appropriately developed and established over time. Council will welcome any project idea that aligns with this masterplan. For further advice contact Council using the details listed on page 3.

Use / Considerations /
Barbecue / Modest BBQ facilities located adjacent to shed to increase activation. May include shade area.
Cultural, heritage and environmental signage and interpretation and formal naming of the site / Trails, art and signage that add interest, beauty, inclusion, activation and a sense of identity to the site are all worthy considerations – particularly where they draw on the Indigenous and non-Indigenous history of the site.
Netball/basketball half court / A half court that maintains the emphasis on casual use without attracting large crowds.
Parking (car and bicycle) / Unsealed, off-street parking is configured to reduce amenity impacts and minimise any physical and visual barrier to the site, particularly between the school and the site. Up to 20 car spaces depending on site use. High visibility bike parking would help to discourage car use.
Play area / A natural play area that might incorporate themes of the precinct. May be as simple as boulders, logs and a sand pit.
Shed, water, drink fountain, power and mural / Shed is maintained initially as storage for community activities. Essential safety measures will need to be considered if the shed is to be occupied by people. Mural on the side of the shed will improve the visual impact and graffiti management of the site. Some amenities can be included in or near the shed such as a sink, drink fountain, internal lighting and power. A service entrance could be located to the south of the shed.
Street furniture / Tables, chairs, benches, pod seating, etc – seating that is disability accessible and that promotes face to face interaction. Furniture could be individually designed and creative but must be well secured to avoid theft. Limited number of rubbish bins.
Urban agriculture/community garden / Local residents have identified that a communal garden has potential to provide a shared social experience that draws on the agricultural heritage of the site. This use will potentially provide a valuable anchoring presence on the site.
For Council to approve such activity for the site, an appropriate group must first submit a feasibility study that considers the following:
· That it complements existing facilities including Edendale - Council’s main investment into community garden infrastructure.
· A plan that details aspects such as governance, broad community support and participation, income and expenditure, infrastructure, plant selection (non-pest), operational procedures, safety, etc.
· Securing necessary resources and facilities (eg funding, water)
· Operational sustainability – considering that it would be initially installed as a trial.

Uses not accommodated in the masterplan

During consultation a range of other uses were raised by the community. Council has determined that it will not include these in the masterplan for the stated reasons or that it requires additional analysis before it will give them further consideration.

Use / Explanation /
Bee hives / Bee hives have historically existed at the site but are not considered appropriate for the future role of the site as a public park.
Sporting use / Due to traffic congestion, flood potential, limited space and amenity impacts of lighting, this site is inappropriate for organised team sports.
Footbridge to Wingrove Park / Not considered a priority given proximity to footbridge at the corner of Bell Street and Withers Way.
Further analysis
Fenced dog exercise enclosure and offleash area / Dog facilities will be considered further in a shirewide study due by 30 June 2014. There is an interest in a small fenced dog exercise yard with jumps and activities. There is also an interest in designated off-leash dog areas that can provide an alternative to dog walking on sports ovals. Traffic congestion and limited site accessibility mean that 2 Bell St is not an optimum location for townwide dog facilities.
Toilets / Toilet provision will be considered further in a shirewide study due by 30 June 2014. Consideration of toilets for the area will depending on level of use of the site. This could consider the following options (in order of preference):
· public accessible toilet included in the Eltham Leisure Centre redevelopment
· accessible toilet installed in the shed and available when the shed is in use
· separate amenity block located on the Bell Street site.
Miniature railway extension / Further feasibility studies would be required before a miniature railway could be considered for the site.