The first round of engagement in October 2018 asked, “what do you want to see, hear, feel, do?”

We held a Community Pop Up stall at the Make it Mine Market on 28 October, held three separate stakeholder workshops for agencies, community groups and traders and a workshop with local school children of the Star of the Sea Primary School.

Through this stage of consultation it identified the following community priorities:

• increase trees and landscaping to create an inviting and shady streetscape and improve biodiversity outcomes
• provide wide and consistent footpaths that are accessible for all
• create a cycle friendly environment, including the provision of bike parking, that encourages safe cyclist, vehicle and pedestrian interactions
• improve linkages and wayfinding between key destinations (e.g. beach, shops on Seaview Road, community centre, library, community garden, West Lakes, bus stops)
• provide safe crossing points across Military Road for pedestrians, people with prams, gopher and wheelchair users and cyclists. Particular locations that require consideration include the intersection of Main Street and Military Road, the roundabouts at North and South Streets and the loading dock area at the rear of Foodland
• integrate public art such as an iconic attraction for photographs and photo tagging, or broader cultural interpretive artwork
• reflect the style and heritage of Henley Beach in the streetscape design and choice of materials
• close off part of Main Street to create a shared use area for outdoor dining and community events. Consider removing kerbs, providing shade/green cover, power, water, space for seating, events, art and busking, wifi, plug and play, smart bins and children’s play features
• balance the provision of car parking with the delivery of trees, landscaping and other amenities
• improve the bus layover area near Foodland to enable better visibility for drivers
• entering/exiting the car park and safe and easy crossing of Military Road by pedestrians
• create an iconic bus shelter at the layover stop on Military Road (e.g. incorporate wifi, novelty seating)
• provide public seating and tables for picnicking/pop up ‘dining’ experiences away from the beach as well as seating to enable people to stop, rest and spend time
• develop design responses that discourage late night or anti-social behaviour near homes

A draft concept plan has been developed which aims to achieve these community aspirations. It improves access, amenity and safety and for all road users while balancing the needs for parking. The additional landscaping reduces urban heat and the wider verges, public plaza and street furniture incorporates placemaking opportunities.