Brimbank council has adopted the Sunshine Energy Park Vision Plan to guide the future planning, design, development and ongoing feasibility and advocacy for Sunshine Energy Park.
The plan provides a framework to transform the site to become the ‘central park’ for Brimbank and Melbourne’s west in the future.
It sets a long-term vision of the next 30 years, which enables the development of further feasibility studies and business cases that seek funding to deliver various aspects of the plan.
Sunshine Energy Park is situated within the Sunshine priority precinct and is on the site if the closed Sunshine Landfills.
The plan aims to establish the park as a vibrant community landmark that nurtures connection to the Country, supports sports, recreation, education, and environmental sustainability. Its location provides an opportunity to create a destination of local, regional, and state significance, thereby enhancing liveability and fostering community cohesion.
Some of the land is currently leased by community groups and clubs.
Aftercare of the landfill continues, including environmental monitoring, settlement monitoring and control of residual landfill gas.
The park’s name relates to an energy production scheme that operated on the site in the 1990s, which used landfill gas to generate electricity for export to the state network, which has since finished.
Brimbank mayor Ranka Rasic said she was bullish about what the park could do to enhance the area.
“This is an exciting opportunity to transform Sunshine Energy Park into a future landmark of the west and create a major recreational and community hub,” she said.
“Together with community and stakeholder feedback, we’ve been able to present a plan for the future vision of the site, and the potential to create something special for the Brimbank community, long into the future.”
Over the next 30 years, partnerships and funding opportunities will be explored for the implementation of each precinct.
The cost to implement the plan is estimated at $500 million, which is comparable to the redevelopment of the Caulfield Racecourse, a project of similar scale and complexity.
