By NOEL MURPHY
FOUR-STOREY buildings allowed under rezoning plans have triggered a wave of protest across Geelong.
City Hall will enact State Government planning changes that could introduce three and four-storey housing across Geelong West, Belmont, Clifton Springs, parts of Newtown and LaTrobe Tce.
Objectors told the Independent they were angry City Hall had failed to notify them.
The objectors, who have formed a Sayno protest group, said they discovered belatedly that the changes could affect their neighbourhoods.
Sayno spokesperson Vicki Baensch, of Newtown, told the Independent City of Greater Geelong had been “heavy-handed” in pursuing the state-driven rezoning when other municipalities had rejected the reform.
“It seems the City and its town planners have taken Planning Minister Mathew Guy’s planning guidelines heavily, to the letter,” she said.
“Other councils have said they want to protect the character of their region but the City of Greater Geelong have adopted it aggressively.
“The town planners genuinely believe they’ve done as much as they can to let people know but they didn’t do a simple letterbox drop saying this will affect you.”
Objectors have set up a Facebook page – Say No to High Density in Geelong – and launched a letterbox drop and signage highlighting the proposed changes and their anxiety.
“The Victorian Government are trying to drive through high-density living and they’re trying to do it fast and as quietly as they can. They’re being sneaky,” Ms Baensch said.
Objectors were concerned about the impact on neighbourhood amenity and traffic volumes, which they said would grow significantly with inadequate provision under the new rules.
Geelong’s council voted to put the rezoning on public exhibition in October.
The Independent revealed after the vote that then-acting mayor Bruce Harwood had voiced concern the rezoning would have a “detrimental effect” on the community as well as the “true character” of iconic areas.
Formal closure date for objections was 16 December but Ms Baensch said City staff had indicated they would accept comments until 10 January.
Mayor Darryn Lyons met Planning Minister Matthew Guy in Geelong this week, discussing issues such as a proposed residential development at Lara, Portarlington’s safe harbour project and procedures to prevent “demolition by neglect”.
Investors, developers and the “broader community” wanted cuts to planning red tape, Cr Lyons said.
