MAROONDAH INTEGRATED TRANSPORT STRATEGY

A strong commercial and industrial base has also developed in Maroondah, with thecommercial emphasis focused on the Ringwood Activity Centre and the CroydonTown Centre. Major industrial development is located in the Bayswater North area.These two sectors account for approximately 15% of land use within Maroondah.Maroondah is traversed by a major highway, which serves as an essential link betweenthe metropolitan area and the tourist regions of the Yarra Valley area. Maroondah isalso a vital municipality for the fulfilment of the Mitcham to Frankston Freewayproject and the Ringwood Bypass.The junction of these two arterials is located near the western boundary of themunicipality, making Maroondah a crucial element for the realisation of the plan toprovide a direct, high speed vehicle link between the Melbourne CAD, outer easternsuburbs and Dandenong.A metropolitan heavy rail line also links Maroondah with the Melbourne CAD. Theline splits at Ringwood into two branch lines that exit Maroondah into the Shire ofYarra Ranges and the City of Knox.2.1.2 ResidentialSingle detached dwellings remain the predominant housing type within themunicipality. However, there has been a decline in the rate of growth of singledetached dwellings while at the same time there has been a slight increase in growth inmedium to high density dwellings within the municipality.Most of the growth in medium density housing has occurred along major roads such asMaroondah Highway, Mt Dandenong Road, Dorset Road and Bayswater Road. Aconcentration of multi-dwelling units has also occurred around the Croydon TownCentre and Ringwood Activity Centre.Opportunities for additional housing are grouped under the following three categoriesincluded in Melbourne 2030:• Greenfield locations• Strategic development sites• Dispersed residential locationsThe Draft Eastern Regional Housing Statement notes that:• Council has identified there are potential opportunities for approximately 1,000households in greenfield locations including the corner of Bayswater andBayfield Road in Bayswater North and the redevelopment of the Croydon GolfCourse. These opportunities are subject to consideration and finalisation ofsignificant planning issues.• Council has identified that almost 6,500 new households could be located withinits strategic redevelopment sites. Development is expected to occur largelywithin and around the Ringwood Activity Centre and the Croydon Town Centre.Ringwood, being a designated Transit City, is expected to accommodate themajority of higher and medium density housing. Structure planning for theCroydon Town Centre has commenced and is investigating appropriate locationsfor higher density housing.• In its dispersed residential locations, Council has estimated potentialopportunities for almost 5,600 additional households between 2001-2031. Thisrepresents a lower rate of growth than the 400 additional dwellings per annum,which are currently constructed in dispersed residential locations. The potential9