Kippax Group Centre upgrades

What you told us your priorities were

• opportunities for outdoor dining and new furniture
• improved access and ease of movement for pedestrians
• increased and diverse plantings as well as improvements to the overall look and feel of the space
• safety and accessibility improvements along Hardwick Crescent.

Key features

• Increased accessibility along shopfronts including wider shopfront pavement, allowing space for outdoor cafes and public outdoor furniture.
• Increased safety with new streetlighting.
• Upgrading the existing three pedestrian crossings in this section to new raised crossings with new lighting improving safety for pedestrians and also slowing traffic along Hardwick Crescent.
• Line marking within the surface carparks to direct pedestrians between the currently separated commercial centres on either side of the large carparks.
• A total of 8 new parallel timed parking spaces along Hardwick Crescent replacing the existing spaces.
• Two new accessible parking spaces within the surface carpark adjacent Hardwick Crescent.
• An enhanced streetscape with new plantings and landscaping, including 12 new Chinese elm trees which are expected to grow up to 10 metres tall.
• New retaining walls between pedestrians, plantings and the road which can be used as seating.

Construction

Initial works have started on site including installation of the site compound which will be located on the grassed area between Club Lime and Moby Dicks Tavern adjacent the existing driveway. Construction is expected to take approximately 9 months to complete, weather permitting. To minimise impacts on businesses and the local community, works will be staged (see map below). We will be working to complete the most disruptive works ahead of the Christmas trade period. Works will be carried out as dayworks only between the hours of 7 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday. If required, work may be undertaken on weekends between the same hours.

Activities include:

• demolition, excavation and transportation of materials using bobcats, excavators and small trucks
• fencing of worksites and installation of tree protection fencing
• small diggers and front loaders for importing and placing soil, trees and plants into garden beds
• trucks and cranes for installation of new streetlighting columns
• concrete/asphalt trucks for installation of paths, walls, crossings, kerbs and islands
• construction of retaining walls and paving that will include site cutting activities.

Tree removal activities

There is some tree removal to be undertaken as part of this project. In total there will be 15 trees removed. In their place, 12 new trees will be planted. These will be advanced size as opposed to saplings. In addition to tree planting, more than 2,200 plants will be planted within the new, widened verge. These will be a variety of grasses, shrubs, groundcovers and macrophytes.

Traffic and pedestrian access

There will be temporary changes for road users and pedestrians during these works. Access along shopfronts will be maintained at all times, however the works will require temporary fencing to ensure the safety of both our workers and the community.

There will be closures of Hardwick Crescent during construction within the two stages. Signed detours will be in place to redirect road users during this time. In addition, some existing on-street parking will be unavailable during the construction period to allow upgrades to be undertaken.

To facilitate the parking improvements, temporary closures of small sections of the surface carparks will be required. This will ensure works can be completed as quickly and safely as possible. These closures will be short-term, a maximum of one-week, to allow line marking machines access to the area.