Young Victorians have been given a unique opportunity to shape the future of the neighbourhoods around the new Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East underground stations, through an SRL Youth Panel established earlier this year.
The group of 18 to 24-year-olds has been meeting regularly since March, discussing how best to increase housing supply and choice across Melbourne. Through detailed workshops, they have shared their feedback on future jobs, services and green spaces that could be supported across the SRL East corridor from Cheltenham to Box Hill.
Six Community Panels have also been meeting throughout the year, with participants representing a cross section of the communities who live and work near the new SRL East stations – Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill.
Arvin, 23, has been part of SRL’s Youth Panel:
‘Because we’re young people, we’re most affected by the rail line – we’re the ones who are going to be using it and who will rely on it. Equity and ease of access to places you want to work, study and hang out is really important, and having public transport is one piece of the puzzle.’
The new rail line will be open from 2035, connecting more people to education, jobs and more affordable and quality housing. The new SRL stations at Monash and Deakin universities will unlock education opportunities for thousands more Victorians and open up access to healthcare and other services across the middle suburbs.
Sophie, 22, is a medical student who participated in the SRL Youth Panel:
‘I think SRL is definitely needed to connect Melbourne’s major health services – Monash Health and Eastern Health – because the only way to access them at the moment is to drive. It’s been really exciting to be involved in the panel and to be able to impact the future.’
The Youth and Community panel discussions have provided an opportunity for the community to have more in-depth conversations – expanding on feedback from the Draft Precinct Visions for SRL East neighbourhoods and the proposed ‘Key Directions’ consultation, which received more than 5,400 community responses.
All Youth and Community panels will report back with their findings at a special feedback session in October.
Alongside the extensive and ongoing community engagement which has underpinned the planning to date for the 6 SRL East precincts, the panels’ input is informing the development of structure plans for these neighbourhoods. There will be further opportunities for community members to have their say.
Melbourne is expected to be a city of 9 million people by the 2050s – the size of London today. SRL will not only transform the city’s public transport network – it will help shape how Melbourne grows in the decades ahead and support the delivery of more homes where people want to live.
