The Blueprint helps bring the right people together, including landowners, developers, neighbours and investors. It opens discussions that otherwise may not happen across property boundaries, with potential partners, and with Council as an active participant.
This is where its value really sits. It helps move things from“ what if” to“ what could we do together?”
The early signs are encouraging, with strong landowner engagement, a growing pipeline of opportunities, and new developer and investor interest emerging.
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“ Change does not happen through plans alone; it happens through people.”
( Lilydale landowner)
THE OPPORTUNITY IN ESTABLISHED PLACES Lilydale sits in a unique position as a regional hub, with strong connections to metropolitan Melbourne and as a gateway to high-value and abundant natural landscapes. However, unlike many outer metropolitan areas, it is not part of a designated growth corridor. Growth will occur, but it will be moderate.
The question becomes: how do we attract investment without relying on growth to do the work for us?
Major infrastructure investment, including the $ 500 million dollar redevelopment of the Lilydale Station precinct and level crossing removal, has reshaped access and movement through the centre( Victorian Government, 2025- Revitalising Lilydale). Planning and revitalisation of major sites, including the former quarry, are also creating the conditions for longterm change( Yarra Ranges Council, 2023- Shaping Lilydale).
Without coordination, growth risks occurring incrementally, driven by individual site decisions rather than a cohesive commercial outcome. The Blueprint responds by translating these conditions into visible, coordinated and investable opportunities.
A STRUCTURE PLAN ACTIVATED: FROM INTENT TO OPPORTUNITY The Blueprint focuses not on creating another plan, but on activating the existing Structure Plan. In Lilydale’ s commercial core, activity remains uneven, key destinations lack strong connections, and the mix of uses does not fully reflect how people live, work and spend time today.
Community feedback highlights demand for more contemporary retail and hospitality, greater diversity of experience, increased housing choice, and a stronger morning and night-time economy( economy. id – Community Views). This reflects a broader shift seen across established centres toward mixeduse environments, where higher-density living, employment, retail and hospitality combine to support activity throughout the day and evening, recognising that places are ultimately activated by people, not buildings.
CONNECTING LAND, INVESTMENT AND OPPORTUNITY The Lilydale Investment Blueprint adds value by translating strategic intent into practical action. Through both new and established relationships, it enables us to facilitate investment opportunities and support individual site owners in understanding and realising the broader vision for Lilydale.
The Blueprint helps landowners see how their sites fit within a wider, evolving context by highlighting where activity is occurring, where change is anticipated, and how individual decisions can contribute to broader township outcomes. In doing so, it provides greater certainty, encourages collaboration, and helps align private investment with the long-term aspirations for the township.
Through this work, our team has created opportunities to bring critical market connections into the conversation, linking landowners with major employers, government, institutions and potential anchor tenants.
This has been particularly important in Lilydale, as it ' s an established centre where larger occupiers will likely shape feasibility. This early engagement has created opportunities for:
• co-designed developments with anchor tenants
• appropriately located larger tenancies
• outcomes aligned with real market demand.
In doing so, our role has shifted from facilitating individual projects to enabling more coordinated outcomes. Conversations have moved from isolated sites and uncertain demand to informed decision-making, connected stakeholders, and investment made based on real market interest.
WHY THIS WORKS
Landowners, Investors and Developers are Key to Transformation In established centres, private landowners, investors and developers hold the keys to transformation, shaping the township one decision at a time. In Lilydale, as in many places, this has led to incremental, uncoordinated outcomes that fall short of long-term strategic intent.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL 19 NO 2 2026 31