Mildura Rural City Councillors last night endorsed a plan which will pave the way for the next wave of growth and development in the thriving Irymple area.
The Irymple Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework sets out how Irymple will look in the future, guiding Council's investment in public spaces and providing direction on the types of buildings that can be constructed.
It also provides a roadmap for development, investment and planning in the town, aimed at achieving the best long term economic, social and environmental outcomes for residents.
The plan outlines four main precincts in the town - Town Centre Precinct, Community Precinct, Industrial Precinct, and Residential Precinct.
Councillor for Economic Development Stefano de Pieri said the plan would build on the major growth that had already taken place in the town following establishment of the Irymple commercial hub in 2014.
"The establishment of this commercial precinct in the town, which kicked off with construction of Irymple's first major supermarket, sparked a significant increase in growth and development in the area," Cr de Pieri said.
"In a relatively short period we've seen a whole host of new businesses starting up in the precinct, including a newsagency, pharmacist, take-away food outlets and more recently another branch of Mildura-based Club Aquarius.
"All of this development bodes well for Irymple as it not only provides a broad range of services and amenities close by for local residents, but importantly, it's a major source of jobs and economic development."
Club Aquarius owners John and Narella Hollywood said that when looking to expand their business, Irymple was an obvious choice.
"We looked at other locations and did our market research and it was very clear that Irymple needed to be our future location," Mr Hollywood said.
"Just looking at the growth in recent years, and what is planned in terms of it continuing to be a major growth corridor, it was a natural progression for our business to expand into Irymple."
Despite only recently opening, and significant interruptions due to pandemic lockdowns, Mr Hollywood said there had already been strong interest from local residents.
"It's actually exceeded our expectations given the COVID restrictions in place, so the signs are already really encouraging," he said.
Cr de Pieri said there had been an 11% increase in new businesses in Irymple since 2014, making it one of the fastest growing areas in Sunraysia in terms of business growth.
"This has translated to increased growth in residential development as well, which benefits a whole range of sectors, including local building trades, real estate agents and the numerous existing shops and services in Irymple," he said.
Collie and Tierney First National Director Ben Ridley said establishment of the Irymple Hub had been transformative for the area.
"Irymple is no longer an external town where you still need to come into Mildura frequently for certain items or services. It's a town in its own right and the Irymple Hub and rejuvenation of the Irymple pub have really played a major role in that," Mr Ridley said.
"You not only have a supermarket, there are take-away outlets, a chemist, post office, it's really turned Irymple into a self-sufficient town.
"It's a first-choice destination and the appeal for young families is not only the central shopping hub, but the fact there are a lot of areas within walking distance to schools, particularly new subdivisions, which is great for young families , everything is close by, which is very appealing."
Cr de Pieri likened the Irymple Hub to the recently endorsed Mildura South Neighbourhood Activity Centre.
"In terms of a spark or trigger point for growth, I think the Mildura South Neighbourhood Activity Centre will play a similar role to the Irymple Hub and the explosion of growth and economic development that has followed in Irymple," he said.
"It's exciting to see these two thriving growth corridors taking shape in our municipality, and I look forward to seeing the next phase of this growth in Irymple following our endorsement of the Irymple Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework last night.
