Liberals make shopping centre, gardens pledge

Liberal Party Leader Matthew Guy and Liberal candidate for Narre Warren South, Annette Samuel at Hampton Park Shopping Centre. 302586_02 Picture: MARCUS UHE

An elected Liberal State Government will provide a grant of $200,000 to revitalise the Hampton Park Shopping Centre.

This commitment is part of the Victorian Liberals and Nationals’ $30 million Local Shopping Strip Recovery Plan, to support local communities across the state to recover and rebuild.

The Local Shopping Strip Recovery Plan aims to help revitalise Victorian shopping strips with funding for projects, including support for local activation events such as street fairs, or improvements such as outdoor dining spaces, plantings, employing local mural artists and designers, and lighting and footpath upgrades.

Liberal Party Leader Matthew Guy made the announcement on Thursday 6 October when he visited the precinct, alongside Liberal candidate for Narre Warren South, Annette Samuel.

“Local traders have been hit hard over the past few years, and only our plan will encourage residents to stay and shop local and give small businesses in Hampton Park their confidence back,” Mr Guy said.

“The first step is to give local traders positive and practical support so they can stay open and grow their business.”

Ms Samuel said the best way to move forward was by backing local initiatives in local communities.

“I’ve been listening to traders and locals about the issues in Hampton Park and we will deliver the support needed for our small businesses and to improve the safety of our local community,” Ms Samuel said.

“Now is the time to invest and revitalise our local shopping strips, and only the Liberals and Nationals have a plan to give small businesses across the state the confidence and certainty they need.”

While in the region on Thursday, Mr Guy also spoke to the Lynbrook Residents Association about its community garden project.

The garden will allow local residents to get involved in growing their own food and teaching future generations about environmental sustainability.

Located on a vacant block of land at the Lynbrook Village Shopping Centre, Mr Guy promised a $120,000 commitment, pending the election result.

He said the Liberals and Nationals had real solutions to build stronger communities across the state.

“This important commitment means a better connected and more sustainable local community.”