Sharing Ideas - Community Sessions

As part of the early planning for Middleton Field, community sessions were held in Daylesford for locals to gain insight into proposed plans for the new neighbourhood and share ideas around future housing and design.

The sessions occurred alongside the formal advertising process by Hepburn Shire Council.

The project team at the first community information session in 2019 alongside members of the community.

Held late in 2019, the first session focused on subdivision of the proposed Middleton Field neighbourhood.

Those attending were eager to understand the design and development aspects of the proposal and shared their aspirations for the area.

Locals highlighted diverse, sustainable and high-quality homes as well as the inclusion of a component of affordable housing as important future housing aspirations.

Thoughtful streetscape design, including the retention of the significant oak tree at the site’s entrance, retention of mature trees and maintenance of a link to the site’s history through the old farmhouse were also highlighted by members of the community as important.

Following the ideas session, the project team started work towards implementing some of the key community aspirations for the area. This included:

  • ENTRYWAY. The boulevard entrance to the neighbourhood was created, with a split road from Smith Street allowing for the retention of the significant oak and planned to retain the majority of the existing oak trees across the site.

  • HOUSING DIVERSITY. Planning started to deliver a mix of housing options across Middleton Field including traditional sized housing lots, a range of townhouses in a unique, central eco village and larger lifestyle lots fronting Midland Highway.

  • QUALITY SUSTAINABLE HOMES. The Design Guidelines were put in place with input and approval from the Hepburn Shire Council requiring all new homes at Middleton Field to incorporate both sustainable and quality design with considered landscaping.

  • AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Conversations started with housing provider Women’s Property Initiative towards the future delivery of affordable housing at Middleton Field for vulnerable women and children in the region (read more here).

  • PRESERVATION OF THE PAST. Restoration plans for Middleton House at 17 Smith Street are now underway by a local family (see images below and read more about the locals updating this beautiful home here).

    Plans to retain and restore the original farmhouse at 9 Raglan Street also started and are in progress.

The second community session was hosted at the Daylesford Lawn Tennis Clubrooms in March 2020. Site plans of the future eco village were available for attendees to peruse.

Architect and founder of leading sustainable architecture firm Breathe, Jeremy McLeod shared the sustainability principles for the project’s planned eco village - now selling as The Village.

Following questions from the community, the aspirations for the eco village project and wider Middleton Field neighbourhood (adjusted with community input), were clarified with those attending as:

The subdivision will provide for a high-quality, carbon neutral, climate change ready pocket of Daylesford with a village feel.

Housing designed and built by local architects and tradespeople as well as specialised Melbourne architects, including Breathe Architecture, will benefit from sustainable design principles and quality design and materials.

This new sustainable pocket of Daylesford will include community housing and will present as a leafy and highly liveable new area at a key entrance to the town.

A slide prepared by architect Breathe capturing the early thinking and design for the eco village and wider neighbourhood at Middleton Field.

 
Laura van Dyk