For immediate release - 23 August 2026
The Liberal and Nationals will deliver a new park in the centre of Box Hill at the old Brickworks and stop Labor's plan to build high rise towers on the site.
This will preserve Box Hill's largest remaining greenspace by transforming it into seven hectares of public parkland, protecting one of the last remaining opportunities to increase public open space in Melbourne's inner-eastern suburbs.
A Jess Wilson-led Government will support the delivery of new parkland in the centre of Box Hill and restore the voice of residents in planning decisions in their local community.
Upon a successful purchase of the site by the Whitehorse City Council, an elected Liberal Government will invest $20 million towards remediating the Box Hill Brickworks site into a permanent public parkland and revoke Labor's unfair planning rules.
Our team's $20 million commitment backs Whitehorse City Council's unanimous vote to acquire and remediate the Federation Street site, delivering desperately needed open space for local Box Hill families.
Urban greenspace in Box Hill is scarce, and despite more than 10,000 residents signing a petition calling for the site to be redeveloped, the Labor Government and the Labor Member for Box Hill have ignored them.
Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson, said: "We know how important greenspace is for the local community in Box Hill, and that's why we are committing $20 million to help turn the Box Hill Brickworks site into a public parkland the whole community can enjoy.
"Box Hill locals deserve a fresh start and a government that works."
Shadow Minister for Planning, David Southwick, said: "Box Hill has seen rapid population growth and high-rise development, yet local parks, and community infrastructure, has not kept up.
"Not only will our $20 million commitment turn the site into the parkland the community has been advocating for, but it will protect it from high-rise overdevelopment under this Labor Government."
Liberal Member for North-Eastern Metropolitan Region, Richard Welch, said: "Box Hill families have been clear: they want more open space, not more towers."
Liberal candidate for Box Hill, Sally Houguet, said: "Box Hill locals are sick of the Labor Government and their local MP ignoring them.
"More than 10,000 community members have fought hard to save the Brickworks site, and they deserve a government that listens and invests in our community."
