Budget update – 27 April 2023

Highton Open Space Reserves - Concept Plan

Grantham Drive Reserve and Esperance Crescent Reserve

Rising construction sector costs are having a big impact on our planned capital works program, including projects such as this one.

Cost escalations of around $130 million mean we can afford to deliver fewer projects, and as a result we’ll have to place a number of previously budgeted projects on hold for now.

Unfortunately, Grantham Drive Reserve and Esperance Crescent Reserve are those that have not been listed in our proposed budget for the next four years, meaning they are planned to be placed on hold.

Morena Street Reserve update

Design and construction of a path and basic landscaping improvements within the reserve remains a current project and concept plans prepared in response to initial community engagement will shortly be provided for feedback prior to progressing this project to detailed design once final budget is adopted.

The project is still on our agenda and we’ll be looking for ways to fund it as soon as we can – including finding savings within our own budget, and seeking external funding.

The City of Greater Geelong is developing concept plans for three reserves in Highton. As our city grows, so do our needs for play, relaxation and recreation, and the opportunity to socialise in outdoor spaces.

This Highton Open Space project involves three open space reserves:

Reserve 1. 2-14 Stanbury Avenue (Grantham Drive Reserve)

Reserve 2. 34-40 Esperance Crescent

Reserve 3. 33-49 Orana Road (Morena St) and 11-21 Old Flour Mill Road.

The project offers an opportunity for the local community to provide input into how these reserves could be improved.

The outcome is a community-led concept plans for improved reserves, aimed at enhancing the new growth area and providing spaces for social activities for local community to explore and use.

Your feedback will help us gain a clear picture of the issues and opportunities at each of the reserves, and an understanding of how you would like to see them look in the future.

We will be undertaking two stages of community consultation during the design process.

Stage 1: Explore and Design (August 2022 - September 2022)

In the first stage we are seeking your ideas and priorities quite broadly. This information will be used to collate feedback to develop a concept plan for each reserve.

Stage 2: Review and Refine (May 2023 - June 2023)

In the second stage of consultation, the draft concept plan for Morena Street Reserve will be shared with the community and we will further refine the concepts plan based on your feedback.