From November to December 2023, we invited feedback on a proposal to convert a temporary outdoor dining parklet on Belmore Road, Balwyn, into a permanent public space.

Based on feedback and issues raised during community consultation, we decided in April not to proceed with this proposal. Between April and June, we received several requests to review this decision.

We updated nearby residents and traders that the matter would be brought to a public council meeting (called the Services Delegated Committee meeting) on Monday 8 July and invited feedback.

We received 20 community submissions and 7 people chose to present in person at this Services Delegated Committee meeting. Councillors discussed the matter after hearing these submissions and decided to uphold the original decision to restore the 3 car parking spaces at this location (and therefore not proceed with the footpath widening).

About the proposal

The outdoor dining parklet is in front of Bin 3 Cafe and Wine Bar (395B Belmore Road) and Lavish Gift Shop (395A Belmore Road) in Balwyn East Shopping Centre. It was created as a communal dining area in November 2020. This proposal would require us to widen a section of the footpath to permanently replace the 3 existing car parking spaces where the dining area is currently located.

Read more about the proposal in the Proposal details tab on this page.

What we heard

We invited community feedback via a survey and hosted a meeting for local businesses with Maranoa Ward Councillor Cynthia Watson. This meeting provided an additional opportunity for business owners to ask questions and share feedback about the proposal.

We received 242 submissions from 266 participants during the consultation from 24 November to 15 December 2023. This included:

• 233 responses to the survey
• feedback from 8 business owners at a meeting with Maranoa Ward Councillor Cynthia Watson and Council officers
• one response via a joint letter of submission.

When participants were asked if they supported the footpath widening proposal:

• 72% supported it
• 26% didn’t support it
• 2% were unsure.

While we received majority community support for the proposal, local business owners raised specific concerns with us. These concerns were about the availability of parking on the north side of Belmore Road for people travelling by car to the businesses on that side of the road.

What happens next

Bin 3 Cafe and Wine Bar has a temporary permit to operate their current outdoor dining parklet until 26 August 2024. We will work with the business owner and other nearby traders on a timeline to remove this setup and restore the car parking spaces soon after this date.

We thank all community members and traders who participated in this process.

We proposed to extend the footpath to create a permanent area in the same location as the current pop-up dining parklet on Belmore Road.

This would support its long-term use by the local community, including for outdoor dining, subject to the business occupying the property at this location submitting a footpath trading permit application.

The proposed design included:

• extending the footpath area across the 3 parking spaces currently being used by the pop-up parklet dining area. The extended footpath area would enable the seating capacity to remain the same if the business owner chooses to use the area for outdoor dining. The seating layout chosen by the business owner would need to comply with Council’s footpath trading permit requirements.
• adding an established tree (about 2 metres high) to the new area to provide shade
• removing the park bench from this location to enable the space to be used as an extended outdoor dining area.

We consulted the community because:

• we had received positive feedback about the pop-up outdoor dining parklet which suggested there was value in proposing a permanent installation
• our community has asked us to focus on supporting local businesses and helping to create vibrant and welcoming places for community members and visitors to enjoy together (Boroondara Community Plan 2021-25).

How the proposed new area might look

See below the outdoor dining parklet as it currently looks and the artist impressions of the proposed permanent area.

• The artist impression is of the proposed footpath extension only.
• The actual layout is subject to change, for reasons including footpath trading permit requirements and the seating layout chosen by the business.
• The tree we plant may be a different size and style to the one shown in the impression.

Aerial impression of proposed site

• The artist impression is of the proposed footpath extension only.
• The actual layout is subject to change, for reasons including footpath trading permit requirements and the seating layout chosen by the business.