Whole new look for Glen Iris on the cards with approval being sought for common community hub

A whole new look for Glen Iris could be on the cards, with — after years of discussion and planning — approval being sought for a community village hub for residents. The Glen Iris Village proposes to be a common community space where residents can access recreational activities, medical services and food and beverage facilities, without needing to leave the area. The full details of the plan have now been released by proponent Erceg Management and will soon be open for public comment. It includes green spaces, a medical centre, pharmacy, food, beverage and restaurant facilities, a childcare centre, gym and a service station. Managing director Allan Erceg said the development was long overdue for residents. “I think, as community leaders have previously stated, it is true that for so many years, Glen Iris has lacked a strong community focus and local people have not had access to the kind of facilities and services we would all expect in a vibrant neighbourhood,” he said. “Our proposal, which will shortly be advertised for public comment, is designed to change that once and for all. “It just doesn’t seem fair to me that for years, people who live in Glen Iris have been expected to drive out of the area to access health care from a local doctor, pick up a prescription from a pharmacy, access childcare, go to the gym or even have somewhere they can gather for a drink or a cup of coffee with friends and family.” Mr Erceg said a crucial focus had been traffic management within the area and he noted a new entry road into Glen Iris off Forrest Highway had been proposed with joint funding from the Federal and State governments already announced. He said a great deal of thought had gone into the visual design of the buildings which will be constructed on the site so the development will not end up looking like a group of concrete boxes surrounded by parking areas. Mr Erceg said the project had been designed to be “shovel ready”, meaning when approvals are granted, civil works and construction can commence. “On completion, Glen Iris Village will also bolster employment opportunities for local people as well as create jobs in the construction phase,”’ he said.