Brand Junction
Encyclopedia
Brand Junction is a shopping precinct located in the University Hill area of Bundoora
in the outer northeastern suburbs of Melbourne
, Australia
. Brand Junction is one of nine precincts anticipated by the Janefield Development Plan, which was approved on 20 July 2004 by the City of Whittlesea
and contains a mix of residential, commercial, retail and industry intended to be developed over the next 10–12 years by Melbourne property developer MAB Corporation on a 103.8 hectares (256.5 acre) site which is bounded by Plenty Road to the west, the Metropolitan Ring Road to the south, the Plenty Road Gorge Parklands to the east and RMIT University
's Bundoora East Campus to the north.
Brand Junction, which was approved by the City of Whittlesea in 2005, is being built by St Hilliers at an expected cost of A$
40 million, and is expected to include a Coles supermarket
, 28 specialty stores and up to 90 factory outlets in tenancies ranging from 80sqm to over 500sqm and offering discounted fashion, footwear, homewares, shopping and lifestyle goods from name brands. Some tenants already signed up include Laura Ashley
, Harris Scarfe
, Roger David and Wittner.
for training ex-servicemen convalescing for tuberculosis
. On 27 October 1937, the 960 acres (4 km²) site, known as Janefield, was gazetted as a centre for children with severe intellectual disabilities, and the first children were moved to the facility from Kew Cottages a month later. It was known by the unfortunate title of Janefield Colony for the Treatment of Mental Defectives until 1962, after which it became a Training Centre under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1959. At its height, the centre had a special school, farm, gym, family unit, swimming pool and theatre. Due in part to changing community attitudes about the care of intellectually disabled people, the centre was closed in 1995 by the Kennett
Liberal
government, and residents were moved into new residential accommodation just north of the site, at a site known as Plenty Residential Services. Reserves over the rest of the land (about 1.2 square kilometres (297 acre)) were revoked under section 10 of the Land (Miscellaneous Matters) and National Tennis Centre (Amendment) Act 1994, to facilitate the sale and redevelopment of the land for residential purposes as part of the then-Federal Government's "Building Better Cities" program.
The land was subsequently purchased by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
(RMIT, later RMIT University) in July 1997 at a cost of A$
12 million, with the intention of building a technology estate, a neighbourhood shopping centre, a residential subdivision and recreational facilities (including a golf course) on the site. The final master plan was approved by the City of Whittlesea
in November 1998. However, a status report presented to the University's board on 30 October 2001, delivered in the midst of a cash crisis for the University as a whole, recommended "that efforts and activities to develop and implement the RMIT Technology Estate as a major physical project on the Janefield site should cease". The report attributed the failure to implement the project to several factors, including lack of State Government support, absence of private sector involvement and investment, and inadequate resources within RMIT. On 5 March 2003 the Victorian Minister for Education granted permission for the University to sell the 103.8 hectares (256.5 acre) still in their possession, and a public tender process was conducted on RMIT's behalf by Jones Lang LaSalle
. The tender was won by Melbourne developer MAB Corporation, who worked with the City of Whittlesea
to create a new master plan for a mixed-use urban village consisting of industrial, retail, residential and community facilities.
Bundoora, Victoria
Bundoora is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km north from the Melbourne central business district. Its Local Government Area are the cities of Banyule, Darebin and Whittlesea. At the 2006 Census, Bundoora had a population of 24,018....
in the outer northeastern suburbs of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Brand Junction is one of nine precincts anticipated by the Janefield Development Plan, which was approved on 20 July 2004 by the City of Whittlesea
City of Whittlesea
The City of Whittlesea is a Local Government Area located in the outer northeastern suburbs of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covers an area of , and has an estimated population of 155,113 people.-History:...
and contains a mix of residential, commercial, retail and industry intended to be developed over the next 10–12 years by Melbourne property developer MAB Corporation on a 103.8 hectares (256.5 acre) site which is bounded by Plenty Road to the west, the Metropolitan Ring Road to the south, the Plenty Road Gorge Parklands to the east and RMIT University
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
's Bundoora East Campus to the north.
Brand Junction, which was approved by the City of Whittlesea in 2005, is being built by St Hilliers at an expected cost of A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
40 million, and is expected to include a Coles supermarket
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
, 28 specialty stores and up to 90 factory outlets in tenancies ranging from 80sqm to over 500sqm and offering discounted fashion, footwear, homewares, shopping and lifestyle goods from name brands. Some tenants already signed up include Laura Ashley
Laura Ashley plc
Laura Ashley plc is a British textile design company now controlled by the MUI Group of Malaysia. It was founded by Bernard Ashley, an engineer, and his wife Laura Ashley in 1953 then grew over the next 20 years„“ to become an international retail chain. Sales totalled over £276 million in 2000...
, Harris Scarfe
Harris Scarfe
Harris Scarfe Department Stores was founded in Adelaide, South Australia in 1849. At its peak, Adelaide was home to several major South Australian department stores , of which Harris Scarfe is the sole...
, Roger David and Wittner.
History of University Hill
Historically, what is now the University Hill precinct was originally used from October 1920 until July 1925 as a farm by the Australian Red CrossInternational Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
for training ex-servicemen convalescing for tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. On 27 October 1937, the 960 acres (4 km²) site, known as Janefield, was gazetted as a centre for children with severe intellectual disabilities, and the first children were moved to the facility from Kew Cottages a month later. It was known by the unfortunate title of Janefield Colony for the Treatment of Mental Defectives until 1962, after which it became a Training Centre under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1959. At its height, the centre had a special school, farm, gym, family unit, swimming pool and theatre. Due in part to changing community attitudes about the care of intellectually disabled people, the centre was closed in 1995 by the Kennett
Jeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
government, and residents were moved into new residential accommodation just north of the site, at a site known as Plenty Residential Services. Reserves over the rest of the land (about 1.2 square kilometres (297 acre)) were revoked under section 10 of the Land (Miscellaneous Matters) and National Tennis Centre (Amendment) Act 1994, to facilitate the sale and redevelopment of the land for residential purposes as part of the then-Federal Government's "Building Better Cities" program.
The land was subsequently purchased by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
(RMIT, later RMIT University) in July 1997 at a cost of A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
12 million, with the intention of building a technology estate, a neighbourhood shopping centre, a residential subdivision and recreational facilities (including a golf course) on the site. The final master plan was approved by the City of Whittlesea
City of Whittlesea
The City of Whittlesea is a Local Government Area located in the outer northeastern suburbs of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covers an area of , and has an estimated population of 155,113 people.-History:...
in November 1998. However, a status report presented to the University's board on 30 October 2001, delivered in the midst of a cash crisis for the University as a whole, recommended "that efforts and activities to develop and implement the RMIT Technology Estate as a major physical project on the Janefield site should cease". The report attributed the failure to implement the project to several factors, including lack of State Government support, absence of private sector involvement and investment, and inadequate resources within RMIT. On 5 March 2003 the Victorian Minister for Education granted permission for the University to sell the 103.8 hectares (256.5 acre) still in their possession, and a public tender process was conducted on RMIT's behalf by Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. is a multinational financial and professional services company specializing in real estate. Global headquarters are located in Chicago, with an operational remit covering the Americas regional market...
. The tender was won by Melbourne developer MAB Corporation, who worked with the City of Whittlesea
City of Whittlesea
The City of Whittlesea is a Local Government Area located in the outer northeastern suburbs of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covers an area of , and has an estimated population of 155,113 people.-History:...
to create a new master plan for a mixed-use urban village consisting of industrial, retail, residential and community facilities.