Future-led thinking required for region's growth

In April this year the Committee for Frankston & Mornington Peninsula will host a Future Forum with industry and civic leaders to discuss what the Peninsula will look like over the next few decades.

The way we all live and work is changing. Decentralisation across metropolitan Melbourne is coming, and Frankston is set up well to become the capital of the south east.

We expect to see more people working from activity centres like Frankston in coming years, rather than commuting into Melbourne’s CBD. This has its obvious advantages. You can knock off work at 5pm and hit the beach and spend more time with family and less time on the Monash Freeway!

Trends like this mean our activity centres on the Peninsula need to work better for us. This requires government investment and incentives for the private sector to want to come to here and grow their business. This is something that the City of Frankston has taken the lead on in recent years with the development of the Frankston Metropolitan Activity Centre Plan (FMAC).

There are many opportunities for our region over coming decades, and many lessons we must learn from other parts of Victoria going through similar changes. A greater work-life balance for locals who are lucky enough to call this region home will put pressure on roads, public transport, housing, health and education. This will require continued lobbying from the Committee, local council and considerable investment from state and federal governments.

We look forward to discussing the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for our region over the next twenty years at our Future Forum on 16 April at Functions by the Bay in Frankston. Anyone interested in attending should visit our website for further details.

JOSH SINCLAIR
First published in February 2024 - Mornington Peninsula Magazine