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CONCEPT DESIGN FOR MALL PROJECT RELEASED FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

Date: 10 October 2012

A concept design for the Maitland Heritage Mall (High Street Central) project has been released for community feedback, revealing a vision that highlights Maitland’s heritage values in combination with the introduction of modern infrastructure.

The proposal has been developed following an intensive consultation process over the last 12 months by both Council and urban designers McGregor Coxall. The consultation process engaged local businesses and the broader community in active discussion that resulted in a suite of ten innovative place principles.  

McGregor Coxall Managing Director, Adrian McGregor said those principles have set the foundation for the designs.

‘Our vision for the area, which we have labelled the High Street Central Precinct, is to see the site become the riverfront heart and soul of historic Maitland,’ he said.

‘The city centre is sitting on the edge of a significant reinvention and we are looking forward to hearing whether our vision is consistent with community expectation.’

Central to the concept design is the introduction of a contemporary shared way, which will see pedestrians and low speed vehicles harmoniously share the space.

The shared way will feature a 10 kilometre per hour traffic flow through the precinct, with parking and dining on the north and trees, planter boxes and public seating on the south. To further enhance the visual amenity of the space the pavement will be fully replaced to reflect the modern design.

The overall plan seeks to enhance the lifestyle aspects of the city centre, by introducing infrastructure for modern cafés and restaurants to create a vibrant atmosphere that extends throughout the day and into the evening.

Along with an overall street plan, a range of street furnishing and other elements have been proposed and released for community comment. These include large, round planter boxes that also provide seating, a suspended lighting system that could also be used to hang banners, uplighting of heritage building facades, planting of locally significant trees, shrubs and flowers, tables with umbrellas and infrastructure for the expansion of dining services.

The initial concept also introduces ideas to improve existing river linkages at the east and west ends of the city centre.

To further explore the idea of improved river access from the city centre, McGregor Coxall has created the River Linkage Investigation, to be placed on exhibition alongside the design concepts.  

The exhibition will seek to gain community opinion on the initial concept and feedback on how the investigation suits the needs and desires of those who use the mall.

The public exhibition period will run from Wednesday 10 October to Friday 26 October.

The concepts will be available for viewing at www.maitlandyoursay.com.au/heritagemall from tomorrow with a number of forums open for comment. Official submissions can also be made through the site.

Council will also run a pop up shopfront in the mall to display the concept design and River Linkage Investigation. The shopfront is located at 385 High St and will be open from 10.00am until 2.00pm, Tuesday 16 and 23 October, Wednesday 17 and 24 October and, Thursday 18 and 25 October.

A report will be provided to Council at the conclusion of the consultation period.

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