Greater Dandenong City Council is planning for a community hub in central Dandenong at a site bounded by Stuart Street, Clow Street and Sleeth Avenue.
Community hubs are multi-purpose community facilities providing a range of complementary services in a single accessible location. Community hubs generally have a range of shared facilities and functions for community, groups and organisations.
Planning for the Dandenong Community Hub continues with work underway to confirm the hub’s Vision and Objectives. Two rounds of co-design workshops were held in early 2024 and two rounds of co-design workshops took place in February and May 2025.
Council considered a hub project update at its meeting on Monday 26 August 2024 and noted that the $1.7 million budget allocated for concept and detailed design is part of the 2024/25 Council budget.
It also noted the outcomes and recommendations of the May 2024 consultant architect report. Council committed to continuing planning with the project architect up to the end of December 2024. The architect’s report includes recommendations to progress the concept design including carparking and other landscape and design considerations relevant to the Dandenong Market precinct.
Noting these recommendations, Council endorsed that:
- The planning of the Dandenong Community Hub and the development of the new Dandenong Market Precinct Plan proceed concurrently during the 2024-25 financial year;
- Commits to continuing planning of the Dandenong Community Hub with the project architect up to and including December 2024; and
- Commits to continuing the co-design process for the finalisation of the concept plan for the Dandenong Community Hub co-design workshops scheduled in 2025.
Next Steps
Detailed design is planned for 2025.
Council is committed to meaningful, consistent and genuine engagement and consultation during the development of the Hub.
Consideration will also continue regarding advocacy to support the Dandenong Community Hub.
Background
Council endorsed its preferred base option for the Dandenong Community Hub on 11 April 2023, choosing the second of three options consulted on in November 2022.
Council’s preferred option was subject to:
- In addition to the existing CIP funding in the 2022-2023 Budget for the Dandenong Community Hub, a sum of $680,000 is to be allocated from the major projects reserve in the Proposed 2023-24 Budget to the detailed design and documentation stage. Any future capital project savings that materialise during the 2023-24 year will be used to reimburse the major projects reserve.
- Using Option 2 as the base concept design, that a co-design approach be used to finalise the concept design prior to 30 October 2023, using feedback from the November 2022 consultation.
- That following finalisation of the concept design (as per item 2 above), Council proceeds to detailed design in 2023-24.
- Council participates in the State Government of Victoria’s Four-Year-Old Kindergarten/Pre-Prep initiative to determine future early years requirements within the City of Greater Dandenong.
- Utilising the preferred concept design and the detailed design plans, Council advocates to the State Government for partnered funding to support the construction of a Community Hub for Dandenong.
Reports
Consultation and Engagement Report - Central Dandenong Community Hub Needs Analysis - 1 June 2020 - 624KB
Key Findings Report - Central Dandenong Community Hub Needs Analysis - 21 July 2020 - 2.4MB
Final Background Research Report - Central Dandenong Community Hub Needs Analysis - 24 July 2020 - 849KB
Dandenong Community Hub - Engagement Findings Report - December 2022 - 586KB
Concept Plans
Dandenong Community Hub - Draft Concept Plan Option 1 (Ground Floor) - 3.8MB
Dandenong Community Hub - Draft Concept Plan Option 2 (Ground Floor) - 4.5MB
Dandenong Community Hub - Draft Concept Plan Option 3(Ground Floor) - 4MB
Dandenong Community Hub - Draft Concept Plan Option 1 (First Floor) - 1.5MB