A major hub for the food and beverage industries could be developed at Epping within five years, according to a plan to revitalise Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Business group North Link has released an update to its Northern Horizons report, outlining a 50-year infrastructure strategy for the north.
The report was commissioned by councils including Whittlesea and Hume, tertiary institutions and the Northern Melbourne Regional Development Australia group.
Among North Link’s short-term priorities is the development of a food and beverage industry park on 61 hectares next to the Melbourne wholesale market on Cooper Street.
North Link believes a food and beverage hub has the potential to create 7000 jobs over the next decade, and grow the food and beverage industry in the northern suburbs by about $2.4 billion.
The group also lists completion of the north-east link, widening key roads across Whittlesea and Hume, more aged-care places and more hospital beds as top priorities.
North Link executive director Chris James said the Northern Horizons report highlighted that urgent infrastructure investment is critical to job-creation in the northern suburbs.
According to North Link, Hume and Whittlesea will be the suburbs most affected by the closure of Ford’s Broadmeadows plant.
“The conclusion of passenger motor vehicle assembly at Ford … highlights the need to focus on jobs, with infrastructure as a key driver,” Mr James said.
“The region’s historic dependence on the traditional manufacturing sector has resulted in significant job losses with the shift of mass production-type jobs going overseas.
“The fast-tracking of infrastructure investment to address current and future needs and drive economic benefits, productivity and jobs growth is critical to the region’s future.”
Mr James said outer northern suburbs are dealing with unprecedented population growth – more than 300,000 people are predicted to call the region home by 2031.
To cope with the growth, North Link wants Epping, Bridge Inn and Mickleham roads widened, and is lobbying for the construction of a Hume Freeway interchange at O’Herns Road and a north-east link connecting the Eastern Freeway with the Metropolitan Ring Road.
