For many residents in the local area, their first priority is to reduce air, noise, and rubbish pollution, and focus on making the area a healthier, cleaner and greener place to live.

One of the biggest concerns expressed throughout the consultation, particularly from Brooklyn residents, was the impact that air, noise and rubbish pollution is having on the amenity of the area and the health and wellbeing of the residents. Other recurring themes relate to issues such as traffic congestion and the ‘car-dominated’ character of the area, concerns over piecemeal ‘densification’ and the impact this is having on the local character, and the potential that future population increases will further exacerbate these problems. For many people, addressing these types of issues is their number one priority to improve the liveability and amenity of the area and make Brooklyn and Altona North healthier, cleaner and greener places to live.

Guiding principles

All future projects within Brooklyn and Altona North should, wherever practical, aim to achieve the following key principles:

1.1 Develop new initiatives, projects and partnerships that will deliver reductions in air, noise, and rubbish pollution and help to make Brooklyn and Altona North cleaner and healthier places to live

1.2 Improve the accessibility and connectivity of reserves and increase the amount of greenery in all streets and public areas throughout Brooklyn and Altona North

1.3 Reduce the ‘car-dominated’ character of Brooklyn and Altona North by undertaking upgrades and new works that will help to reduce traffic congestion and make our streets and public domain more safe, attractive and ‘people-friendly’

1.4 Recognise the diversity and different characters of the neighbourhoods and precincts that make up Brooklyn and Altona North, and manage future growth to minimise negative impacts and maintain a level of housing variety and affordability in the local area

What are the most important projects and initiatives that you think need to be undertaken to improve the liveability and amenity of Brooklyn and Altona North?

Here are some real-life examples that might provide you with some ideas and inspiration.

COMMUNITY LED TREE PLANTING PROGRAMS TO HELP GREEN-UP THE LOCAL AREA AND BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER (Credit: Brisbane City Council)

CREATING STREETS AND PUBLIC SPACES THAT ARE GREENER AND FEEL MORE ‘PEOPLE-FRIENDLY’ (Credit: Outlines Landscape Architects)

CITIZEN-LED PROJECTS TO MONITOR POLLUTION LEVELS, CREATE INCREASED PUBLIC AWARENESS AND CAMPAIGN FOR ACTION (Credit: Friends of The Earth)

IMPROVING THE CONNECTIVITY OF OPEN SPACE AREAS AND INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF GREENERY IN STREETS AND PUBLIC AREAS (Credit: Melbourne Water)

PROVIDING NEW HOUSING OPTIONS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE BUT ARE LOWER SCALE AND MORE SUITED TO EXISTING NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARACTER (Credit: WPI)

Making Brooklyn and Altona North more walkable and bike-friendly, and developing new initiatives and projects that will promote a shift towards public transport and active transport into the future.

There is a lot of concern among the residents of Brooklyn and Altona North around traffic issues and safety along the main vehicular routes such as Millers Road and Blackshaws Road, and a fear that these issues are only going to get worse into the future as the population grows. Many people expressed that the area is very car-focused and that the public transport options that are currently available are inadequate and don’t offer a practical alternative to private vehicle usage. It was also regularly noted that the area is not very pedestrian or bike-friendly and that there are a lot of safety issues - meaning that walking and cycling are not a viable or attractive option for most people. The community desperately wants to see the traffic congestion and safety issues fixed, for big improvements to be made to the public transport network and for the area to become much more pedestrian and cycle-friendly.

Guiding principles

All future projects within Brooklyn and Altona North should, wherever practical, aim to achieve the following key principles:

2.1 Future planning of the area’s movement network to give priority to public transport and active transport to promote their development as safe, convenient and viable alternatives to private vehicle usage

2.2 Develop new initiatives, projects and partnerships that will improve safety, reduce traffic congestion and vehicle speeds, and manage heavy vehicle movements along key routes such as Millers Road and Blackshaws Road

2.3 Focus on undertaking upgrades and new works that enhance pedestrian and cyclist linkages between key destinations and help make Brooklyn and Altona North a more bike and pedestrian friendly place

What are the most important projects and initiatives that you think need to be undertaken to make Brooklyn and Altona North easier and safer places to move around?

Here are some real-life examples that might provide you with some ideas and inspiration.

STREETSCAPE WORKS THAT SLOW VEHICLES, IMPROVE SAFETY AND PROVIDE A BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN PEOPLE AND CARS (Credit: John Gollings)

BETTER PATHWAY LINKS AND WAYFINDING SIGNAGE TO MAKE THE AREA MORE PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLING-FRIENDLY (Credit: Aspect Studios)

INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAKES PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND ACTIVE TRANSPORT A PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVE TO PRIVATE VEHICLES (Credit: Flickr)

CHANGING THE CHARACTER OF STREETS TO SLOW TRAFFIC AND MAKE THEM FEEL MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY (Credit: JPE Design Studio)

USING TECHNOLOGY AND NEW FORMS OF TRANSPORT TO INCREASE TRAVEL OPTIONS (Credit: Citymapper)

Continuing to celebrate and strengthen the diversity and different characters Brooklyn and Altona North while finding new ways to bring the community closer together

The Brooklyn and Altona North communities are very diverse and each area has its own identity, character and sense of place. These are elements that the local community value and want to see strengthened into the future. Within the community there is a lot of concern around issues such as hooning and anti-social behaviour, a lack of ‘things to do’ for local young people, and a feeling that some areas do not feel safe and welcoming. The local residents want to address these issues in a positive way - looking for new opportunities to celebrate and strengthen the cultural diversity of the area and bring the different parts of the community closer together.

Guiding principles

All future projects within Brooklyn and Altona North should, wherever practical, aim to achieve the following key principles:

3.1 Develop new initiatives, events and partnerships that will promote and celebrate the different cultures, increase understanding and connections between different groups and help bring the community together as a whole

3.2 Focus on undertaking upgrades and new works for important community destinations and meeting places in Brooklyn and Altona North such as local shopping areas, parks and sports clubs to make them more inviting, safe and functional for the whole community

3.3 Engage with local youth representatives and investigate opportunities to provide new facilities, activities, events and spaces that are designed for them, make them feel welcome and ‘give them something to do’

3.4 Develop new initiatives, projects and partnerships that will bring together local youth, cultural and community leaders and social advisors/experts to establish new and creative ways to address issues such as anti-social behaviour and hooning

What are the most important projects and initiatives that you think need to be undertaken to help bring the community closer together?

Here are some real-life examples that might provide you with some ideas and inspiration.

LOOK FOR CREATIVE IDEAS THAT PROVIDE ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH AND COMBINE THEM WITH MENTORING AND SUPPORT SERVICES (Credit: Pro Am Live)

EXPLORING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY-BASED SOCIAL ENTERPRISE THAT PROMOTE LOCAL SKILLS AND CULTURES (Credit: The Social Studio)

PROVIDING ‘MORE TO DO’ FOR YOUTH LIKE PUMP TRACKS MULTI-USE OUTDOOR SPORTS FACILITIES (Credit: Emrik Jansson)

EVENTS AND INITIATIVES THAT PROVIDE LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH MORE DIRECT AND ‘HANDS-ON’ WAYS TO SHAPE THE PLACE THEY LIVE IN (Credit: Beers and Ideas)

EVENTS, COOKING CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS THAT CELEBRATE DIFFERENT CULTURES AND HELP TO CONNECT THE COMMUNITY (Credit: Broadsheet)