South Gippsland Shire Council

Korumburra Town Centre Framework Plan | Context Report 32
14 Implications of analysis
Based on the preceding context review, a summary of the Town Centre’s strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) has been prepared. SWOT analysis
helps to develop a realistic assessment of how strengths and opportunities can counter
weaknesses and threats to the Town Centre’s future. It also provides a basis to develop
a series of meaningful ambitions and directions that will inform the creation of the
Korumburra Town Centre Framework Plan.
The strengths and weaknesses described below are also illustrated on diagrams
overleaf.
14.1 Strengths
The following strengths are the Town Centre’s advantages and valuable assets, which
create a good foundation for future growth and development. Strengths should
generally be preserved and / or improved upon.
The established grid street network of the Town Centre;
The commercial core of Korumburra Town Centre is relatively compact and clearly
defined by Commercial and Bridge Streets;
The Korumburra heritage railway station and its potential tourism opportunities;
A number of intact traditional buildings of local heritage significance define the built
form character of the Town Centre;
High quality heritage streetscapes, such as along Radovick Street, form desirable
approaches into the Town Centre;
Rich cultural history associated with mining (coal Creek) and agriculture;
Quaint small town atmosphere;
There are a number of established community services within and around the
Town Centre;
The road network generally provides a good standard of vehicle access
throughout Korumburra;
The Town Centre is served by adequate car parking; most of which is located to
the rear, sleeved by fine grain retail along Commercial Street;
The Town Centre benefits from a dramatic landscape setting and views to rolling
hills are facilitated by the undulating natural topography.
14.2 Weaknesses
The following weaknesses are areas or challenges that need to be addressed so that
they do not compromise the long term viability of the Town Centre.
Lack of retail diversity, longer business operating hours and youth related activities
results in escape expenditure to surrounding retail centres, such as Leongatha,
and low activity in some parts of the Town Centre.
Areas of undeveloped land and vacant shops results in unattractive streetscapes
and a sense of neglect in the Town Centre;
A combination of visual and physical barriers results in the fragmented nature of
the Town Centre;
Steep natural topography is a challenge to creating a walkable Town Centre,
particularly for the mobility impaired and more vulnerable users;
The absence of prominent gateway feature at either end of Commercial Street
results in a poor sense of arrival into the Town Centre;
There is limited public gathering spaces within the Town Centre;
Ambiguous street hierarchy results in pedestrian/ cyclist and vehicular conflict
zones, particularly at the ‘dog-leg’, which also presents issues for pedestrian and
mobility impaired user accessibility and safety;
Anecdotal evidence suggest vehicle speed may be an issue through Town Centre,
particularly heavy vehicles on Sth Gippsland Highway, which presents significant
safety issues for pedestrians attempting to informally cross Commercial Street.
Visual barriers to public amenities, such as the railway station and Coleman Park
results in their limited usage and presence within the Town Centre;
Commercial Street creates a physical barrier to pedestrian movement and acts as
a through road for heavy freight traffic;
A lack of safe and accessible pedestrian crossings on Commercial Street which
adequately reflects pedestrians s desire lines.
The private car is the dominant mode of transport in Korumburra;
The railway line presents a barrier to east-west connectivity;
The only pedestrian estrian connection between the Railway Station and the Town Centre
is via an underpass, which is disconnected from Commercial Street, hidden from
public view and poorly lit.
Pedestrian treatments are generally poorly maintained or non-existent. This
includes the Little Commercial Street car park, brickwork paving along Commercial
Street and mobility treatments.
Draft
Safety issues regarding the lack of pedestrian connections from the main car
parking area (Little Commercial Street) to Commercial Street.
There are limited bicycle facilities in the town centre.
Inconsistent public realm treatments and lack of clear signage results in ineffective
way-finding system and visual clutter at some locations;
Private and public properties need maintenance and improvements;
14.3 Opportunities
Opportunities are the long-range positives affecting the Town Centre that should be
seized and capitalised on.
Korumburra Town Centre will be the gateway township to the South Gippsland
Shire from the Freeway following the completion of the Pakenham and Koo Wee
Rup bypasses.
There are strategic redevelopment sites within the commercial core of the Town
Centre. These sites are typically owned by Council, and there is potential for lot
amalgamation to accommodate significant future development;
Potential future supermarket and mixed use development on the existing library
site may form a more suitable entrance into the Town Centre;
The relocation and consolidation of community facilities to the existing
kindergarten site will activate and reinvigorate its surrounding area;
Take advantage of the topography by incorporating basement car parking into new
developments;
Wide road reserves may provide the opportunity for the reallocation of road space
to support active transport.
The railway line is currently not used for public transport but operates as a
heritage/tourist train.
Any proposed future redevelopment of land in the station precinct could provide a
means to implement a high quality dedicated pedestrian link to Commercial Street.
The extent of continuous surface car parking to the rear of commercial
development provides redevelopment opportunities which can help improve the
pedestrian interface, visual setting and the overall quality of the public realm;
Some excess car parking areas could be removed to cater for public open space,
particularly in areas which accommodate high volume of pedestrian movement
and along key visual lines.
Areas of poor pedestrian amenity and around pedestrian/ vehicular conflict zones
should be the focus of future improvement;
Many younger and older residents are likely to need alternative modes of travel to
private vehicles. The provision of viable alternative means of transport is a key
factor in households decreasing car use and ownership.
A network of bicycle facilities connecting major land use attractors and residential
areas should be considered.
Public realm landscaping improvement around the surface car parking on Little
Commercial Street will make a significant contribution to improve the look and feel,
which will complement future redevelopment in this precinct;
Areas with a sense of containment potentially have the capacity to accommodate
greater change in built form.