Junction Place developer talks up fresh plan as consultation session details revealed

The comment from Central Place came as Development Victoria flagged details of three feedback sessions on the blueprint.

They will all be online, due to COVID rules, with the first 6pm to 7pm next Wednesday and the others 5.30pm to 7.30pm on September 28 and October 7.

The initial event will give an overview of the updated plan and allow for questioning and the others are drop-in sessions with project workers segmented off to take feedback on specifics.

They follow a backlash over the lack of community consultation on the revisions and a plan to build a Dan Murphy's bottle shop on land previously set for a cinema.

Central Place spokeswoman Corrie Warburton acknowledged residents were "keen to see the delivery" of a cinema-entertainment hub "as soon as possible" but noted COVID-19 had forced a rethink with it now being proposed for the eastern end of Junction Place.

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"We believe this refresh of the master plan remains true to the community's vision developed in 2012, while also responding to the realities of the impact of COVID-19 on the cinema industry, hospitality and retail," she said.

Moderator of the Engage Wodonga Facebook page Bobbi McKibbin, who organised a petition against the Dan Murphy's proposal, said such a statement was an assumption.

"I think they need to wait and see what community say, because the last thing we want to see is tick box engagement," she said.

"We want to see meaningful engagement and that means they need to be prepared to press 'pause', so we can get things right."

Ms McKibbin said wants at Junction Place include a ten-pin bowl and government service hub as well as the cinema.

She said the community wanted answers about why the master plan had been changed and "why has there been no consultation until this point".

To register for the first session email Junction.Place@development.vic.gov.au and go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JPWReg for the others.

Ms McKibbin wants Development Victoria to upload recordings of the sessions so that those unable to participate can watch at a later time.