Thriving town in the making

OFFICER is expected to be home to a community of 30,000 people within 20 years, according to Cardinia Shire Council projections.
Council believes Officer is on the verge of a new era with a range of developments expected to change the face of the township, with 11,000 dwellings and 6500 new jobs within two decades.
It has also issued a planning permit for a possible future cinema.
Council general manager Planning and Development Phil Walton said the new civic centre was located in what would become the future Officer town centre.
“The growth of Officer will attract development and a surge in economic investment in the area. Council is excited to be the first to move into this new economic centre,” he said.
“The land around the civic centre may look bare now, but in a few years’ time it will be a thriving town centre with a shopping and entertainment precinct and public spaces for the community to enjoy.
“Council will be just one part of that.”
A retail centre with supermarket and specialty shops, community facilities and recreation spaces are on the way, as well as significant outdoor places and environmental features, council says.
“Other developments include the newly opened Officer Specialist School, the soon-to-be opened Officer Secondary School and Arena Children’s Centre,” he said.
“Officer is also well serviced with public transport and a growing housing market.”
Mr Walton said with the shire population also continuing to grow, the new civic centre would be better equipped to cater for its current and future needs.
“As Cardinia Shire continues to welcome more residents, council as an organisation has also grown,” he said.
“The offices in Pakenham are inadequate for the number of staff required to service a municipality of this size, however the new civic centre has the capacity to not only cater for a growing community but also a growing organisation.”