Blalxand's shopping centre could end up looking like the revitalised Lawson village under a new set of options being put to the community.
It follows a backlash from the community late last year around potential four to five storey building heights in the retail precinct. There was concern about the visual impact associated with building heights and density, and a loss of town character.
Blue Mountains council will present two options to the community for comment from November 11.
The first is four storey development over the entire town centre.
The second option, labelled an "incentivised development", would allow buildings up to four storeys if landlords contributed funds to enhancing the public space.
Mayor Mark Greenhill said this was an opportunity to "transform Blaxland from a highway strip to a real town centre."
His preference was for the incentivised development where the focus would be on the town centre behind the highway, with outdoor and laneway dining, green spaces for sitting in, shop top housing and graded building heights.
"I'm really looking for something more like Lawson than Kingswood," Cr Greenhill said.
"By partnering with private property owners we can create underground parking spaces to free up the land at the back of the shops to create a town centre, much like Lawson," he said.
I'm really looking for something more like Lawson than Kingswood.
- Mayor Mark Greenhill
"This is our best opportunity to do something special but it only works if the private landowners come on board and we have to make that attractive for them."
Fellow Ward 4 councillor, Liberal Brendan Christie, was also supportive of the second option.
"I believe option 2 would be best as the incentivised development will provide better amenity for all," he said.
"We're finally near the end of this process that has stretched over many years. Businesses have been crying out for a change at Blaxland and even council's own retailer survey had Blaxland as the lowest ranked town centre out of every town centre in the Mountains.
"Compared to the monstrosity of an artist's impression that was last released to the community, I believe both the community and the businesses will be pleased with the options we're presenting."
The public can comment on the two options from November 11 to December 9 at yoursay.bmcc.nsw.gov.au.
