A NEW blueprint for transforming the outdated, limp Langtree Mall is proposing the reintroduction of traffic and parking to the strip for the first time in more than three decades.
With nearly half of all shops in the mall now vacant, a former Mildura City Heart chairman has unveiled a plan to bring the mall – which opened in 1986 – into the 21st century.
Ryan Hammerton, who runs Hammertons Jewellers in the mall, is proposing a one-way street that flows from Eighth to Ninth streets and has 43 parking spaces, including seven dedicated parent spots, three for disabled parking and two 15-minute bays.
Mr Hammerton said the silver bullet to reviving the mall was “access and proximate parking”.
“It’s simply about putting roadway through the mall with angled parking,” he said.
Laying out the plan, which was two years in the works, on his new Facebook page “Langtree Mall Evolution”, he said the demise of the mall was not due to some commonly-held beliefs.
“It’s not the rent. Per sq m rates have dropped substantially as landlords have tried to secure or keep tenants,” Mr Hammerton said.
“It’s not the pandemic. Or the fires. Or the blue-green algae. Or the global financial crisis. It’s not necessarily online shopping.
“It’s taken years to lead to one conclusion: access and proximate parking.
“There’s major aspects of Sunraysian consumer behaviour that only comes out in friendly company: none of us want to walk, it’s too hot, too cold, too inconvenient, too far, too much to carry. Too busy.”
He said he had made “multiple attempts” to discuss his plan with Mildura Rural City Council staff over his concept, but it had been “met with general apathy”.
“The Langtree Mall needs to evolve in order to sustain a high volume of quality tenants,” Mr Hammerton said.
“The mall was fully tenanted about 3.5 years ago. It is also worth noting that prior to COVID striking in March, the mall had 11 vacancies. Eleven of 57 represents nearly 20 per cent of the mall.
“Presently, the mall has 22 vacancies with a couple more pending. This represents over 35 per cent, and this is not typical of the rest of the precinct.
“For comparison, Melbourne is currently panicked by the number of vacancies it’s experienced right now in its CBD at 15 per cent.”
He hit out at the “conspicuously absent” lack of planning for a mall upgrade in the Mildura CBD Plan 2020-35, which was endorsed by the council three months ago.
“The plan I’ve laid out is to improve the desirability of the vacant stores in effort to increase access and activation,” he said.
“I hope the next crop of councillors realise the urgency in improving our mall.”
The council was contacted for a response to Mr Hammerton’s comments and plan.
