DEVELOPERS want to build a shopping hub at Marong's most prominent intersection.
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They have asked the City of Greater Bendigo's permission to build a supermarket and service station along with 16 other retail spaces at the corner of High and Adams streets, overlooking the Calder Highway.
Developers would also build office space along with a car park big enough to fit 94 cars, and space for 14 bicycles.
They told the council it would solve shortfalls in retail and commercial spaces for the rapidly growing suburb.
Marong's population is expected to double to 11,000 people by 2036.
The retail hub would use landscaping and "fine grain" street frontings to soften the buildings, developers told the council.
They envisioned palm trees and alfresco dining.
Buildings would rise between High and Cathcart streets and abut an existing post office building and house.
Most of them would be one-storey high.
The exception would be a two-storey office and retail space at the immediate corner of the Calder Highway and High Street.
Developers said that would comply with an existing council plan stipulating buildings at prominent Marong sites being built to a greater scale.
Construction workers would need to demolish several buildings including an old garage.
They had set aside space to replace the Telstra exchange to use, assuming that company agrees to the idea.
Intersection currently 'an unsafe and noisy environment'
The hub would rise across the road from the start of the Calder Alternative Highway's truck route.
Residents have long-campaigned for a truck bypass around Marong to deal with increasing traffic volumes and a 2020 council structure plan branded the area unsafe thanks to high freight volumes.
The intersection is "currently dominated by a large volume of traffic including trucks creating an unsafe and noisy environment for all road users, particularly pedestrians trying to cross the road", according to the council's plan.
The same plan found "enormous potential" for commercial premises and a town centre at the intersection.
IN THE NEWS
A bypass is outside the developers' scope of influence but they told the council their shopping hub would not impede any future bypass.
Developers revealed their shopping hub plans in the same month the state government rezoned commercial land in the south-western corner of Marong.
The change made way for lakeside dining, shops and community amenities at the land at 244 Edwards Road.
Other sections of farmland at that property had already been rezoned for housing developments.
The City of Greater Bendigo is currently considering the Marong centre shopping hub plans.
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
