Background to the Development of Manly2015
MANLY THE MEETNG PLACE
1995 - 2007
September 1995 Manly Town Centre Study - "Manly the Meeting Place".
June 1996 Urban Design Guidelines for Henrietta Lane and Manly Daily Site.
June 1998 Manly Town Centre Urban Design Working Group formed.
October 2000 Manly Town Centre Urban Design Draft Guidelines recommended the removal of the Whistler Street Carpark.
January 2001 Rialto Square and Pacific Waves developments completed.
October 2002 Manly Town Centre Urban Design Guidlines (Final) adopted 15 March 2002 - recommended "long term relocation of the Whistler Street Carpark to the Ring Road" (p64).
February 2005 The Corso redevelopment planning commenced.
April 2006 The Corso Stage 1 construction completed.
June 2007 Development of the "Beyong The Corso Strategy".
December 2007 "Beyond The Corso Strategy" presented to Landscape Management Urban Design Special Purpose Committee (LMUD) and Council with a reference to the Town Centre Guidelines.
2008
There had long been an identified need for public domain and laneway improvements in the areas surrounding the Manly Town Centre’s Corso. The problems identified include narrow streets, multiple and under-utilised lane-ways with high vehicle dominance, poor pedestrian safety, high buildings, inactive street frontages, and public infrastructure assets in immediate need for renewal (such as roads, lanes, footpaths and paved surfaces).
April Manly Council's Landscape and Urban design Committee considered a report on the area, which included a brief to consider the urban renewal of the Whistler Street and Market Lane car park.
November Local Architects Choi Ropiha win the urban renewal design competition.
2009
The project evolved into a Laneways Masterplan providing a bigger picture of urban renewal for the Manly Town Centre, developed by Choi Ropiha Fighera ?with McGregor + Coxall, GTA Consulting and Hill PDA on behalf of Manly Council.
December Choi Ropiha Figerha presented the Manly2095 Vision to Council.
2010
February The overall concept for a Masterplan for the Manly CBD was presented to a Councillor Strategic Planning Workshop. Due to the enthusiasm of Councillors to the plans presented, the name ‘Manly 2015’ was given to the project.
March Manly 2015 Masterplan Project feasibility and Timeline completed.
August detailed traffic study of Manly2015 Masterplan completed.
November Council formally endorsed Manly2015 as a “strategic, forward thinking vision to guide the future rejuvenation of the Manly Village which aims to improve and capitalise on Manly as a village”.
2011
February A formal report (a public document) to Council (14th February) outlined the key aspects of the Manly2015 Masterplan. Council resolved to publicly exhibit the Masterplan.
29th April - mid-September Public Exhibition of Manly2015. An official Launch in the Corso attended by the the Mayor and Councillors and members of the public.
The Manly 2015 website was produced featuring comprehensive information on the Manly2015 Masterplan.
The Manly 2015 website also allowed for interactive comments via bang the table facility and provided a click on email link for people to lodge comments.
Detailed briefings and question and answer sessions lasting approximately one to one and a half hours were provided to a range of Council’s special purpose committees, precinct committees and stakeholder groups (including Manly Lawn Tennis Club, Manly Rugby Club and Manly Cricket Club).
Feedback from the exhibition period resulted overall in the following modifications by Council to the original Masterplan as follows:
- the deletion of the Raglan Street entrance for the Manly Oval car park,
- the return of two way traffic in Whistler Street ; and
- insertion of the bike lanes in Raglan and Belgrave Streets.
2012
September New Council elected & inducted; independent advice sought on legal, probity and finance aspects of the Masterplan to take it forward.
October Manly Council engaged KPMG to carry out a financial and commercial review of the Council’s analysis related to elements of the Village Centre site and the Manly Oval incorporating a new underground car park – including an assessment of whether these elements could be delivered under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
November Councillors’ Workshop briefing following exhibition; further discussions (meetings and presentations) held with key stakeholders (Sporting Clubs / Manly Oval user groups, Manly Tennis Club).
2013
February Preliminary financial feasibility analysis of project undertaken by KPMG reported to Councillors Strategic Planning Workshop.
March Elton Consulting engaged as part of the review of the Community Strategic Plan. The findings of this review, and the community engagement undertaken supported the need for Council to progress the Manly2015 Materplan.
June Council adopted Community Strategic Plan Beyond 2023 that included the Manly2015 Masterplan strategies.
July & August Council advertised and conducted 5 community workshops providing an overview of Manly 2015 which included the traffic management studies that had been completed, KPMG's financial feasibility report, as well as the governance gateways the project needed to progress through. The feedback on the Masterplan was well received with 99 people (locals and visitors) attending the five information sessions and workshops. These sessions were held at Council's premises. The workshops were facilitated by Elton Consulting community engagement specialists.
July-November Council commissioned a number of independent economic and engineering studies to examine the financial and economic and aspects of the environmental sustainability of the Manly Oval Car Park Proposal as part of the Manly2015 Masterplan. These included:
- Advice on the Financial Feasibility of the Manly Oval Car Park by KPMG.
- Economic Analysis of the Manly2015 Masterplan by HillPDA.
- Traffic and Demand for Car Parking in the ManlyCBD by Bitzios Consulting.
- Advice on structural, engineering, geo-technical, and hydrological aspects of the projects including Quantity Surveyors reports, preliminary designs, and further traffic modelling.
December Submitted ManlyOval Carpark Proposal Capital Expenditure submission (CapEx) to the Office of Local Government.
December The KPMG Due Diligence Report on the Oval Carpark dated 16 December 2013 was published online on the Manly2015 website www.manly2015.com.au on 20th December 2013 together with subordinate reports prepared by HILLPDA (Economic Assessment) and Bitzios Consulting (Parking Demand).
2014
January The KPMG Due Diligence Report on the Oval Carpark dated 16 December 2013 together with subordinate reports prepared by HILLPDA (Economic Assessment) and Bitzios Consulting (Parking Demand) were tabled at Council’s Extraordinary Meeting held on January 28th 2014.
February Councillors briefed at Councillors' Strategic Planning Workshop about the Manly2015 independent studies, and findings as reported to the Office of Local Government and part of the Capital Expenditure Review.
May The Manly Chamber of Commerce Executive Manly2015 Briefing & Question and Answer Session was held on Wednesday 7 May 2014 with presentations from Manly2015 Masterplan independent project consultants.
May Short Street Plaza upgrade completed.
May Official opening and renaming of Short Street Plaza to Manly Plaza by Mayor Jean Hay AM.
June Manly Combined Precincts’ Chairs Briefing & Question and Answer Session was held on Thursday 29 May 2014 with presentations from Manly2015 Masterplan independent project consultants.
June Council adopted its Community Strategic Plan Beyond 2024 including continuation of Manly2015 Masterplan key strategies.
July Manly 2015 Meet the Architects Information Marquee held in Manly Plaza daily from Wednesday 9 – Saturday 11 July 2014.
2015
July Manly 2015 Meet the Architects Information Marquee held in Manly Plaza daily from Wednesday 9 – Saturday 11 July 2014.