Mildura CBD plan in place, says Jason Modica

MILDURA Council already has a “clear” CBD direction and Langtree Mall is “not due for more capital expenditure” after receiving a $4.2 million revamp in 2011, mayor Jason Modica says.

Sunraysia Daily asked Cr Modica what lessons Mildura could learn from the experiences of Shepparton and Ballarat, which are both planning major mall upgrades in response to high shop vacancy rates.

“I am sure other Victorian towns are dealing with the ongoing results of lockdown on all businesses, as well as the move to online shopping,” he said.

“I think we can learn that issues such as the largest downturn in 100 years (due to COVID lockdowns) and the move to online shopping need to be considered by council, businesses and property owners.

“Expecting a miraculous return to pre-COVID and pre-online shopping diminishes the changes retail precincts have had to deal with in the last 15 years.”

He said the Mildura CBD Plan 2020-35, which was endorsed by the previous council a year ago, had already “identified the ongoing pressures of all retail in the CBD”.

“MRCC have also given a large amount of time, effort and money to the multiple shop owners and former Mildura City Heart chair Ryan Hammerton’s Langtree Avenue concept (to open the mall to one-way traffic and parking),” Cr Modica said.

“I will support the direction council has voted to pursue, and our staff once they finish investigations into Mr Hammerton’s proposal.”

His comments come after a Sunraysia Daily poll last week showed an overwhelming 79 per cent of 1593 respondents did not support the mall in its current form.

There was also a strong push in the poll for the mall to be demolished and reopened to traffic.

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Deputy Mayor Helen Healy said she agreed with the poll results.

“The mall needs urgent attention,” she said.

“However, after talking with many people and considering both sides of the story, and having all the necessary information to provide an informed opinion, I don’t agree that committing to the expense of putting a road through the mall will solve the problem of empty shops.

“This is borne out by the number of empty shops throughout the CBD with car parking directly out the front. Take a look at Ninth Street.

“Your poll and my discussions with community members also reveals high regard for the mall as an important public space to be retained as a meeting and gathering space.”

In terms of how she saw the future of the broader CBD, Cr Healy said: “Retail has changed — landlords, not council, control the rent, occupancy and appearance of their buildings.

“I have asked council to investigate incentives for landowners to reduce rents or upgrade (their shops).

“For example, an empty shop rate and, conversely, look at rate relief for building owners to develop their shop fronts, subdivide floor spaces, second-floor activation for residential living and create smart spaces for service businesses.”

Cr Modica said his vision for the CBD was as a “dynamic shared space, bringing together the ongoing work on the riverfront, Deakin Avenue and the arts precinct around Rio Vista”.

“There is a clear demand, reflected through house and land prices, for people to live in the old city of Mildura,” he said.

“These developments and a nuanced approach to the changing attitudes towards retail, accompanied with good and orderly planning and minimal reactionary responses, will deliver us a vibrant, reimagined CBD.”

MONDAY: Debate rages between councillors over where to find the real city centre of Mildura.