By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A THIRD student housing project has ramped up Geelong’s push for inner-city living.
The eight-storey building, with 118 single-bedroom apartments, a retail shop and a cafe, will cost almost $10 million.
The 900-square-metre site at 16-19 Bayley St is close to Deakin University’s Waterfront campus, Geelong Railway Station and Gordon Institute of TAFE. An existing building on the site would be demolished to make way for the building.
The development proposes nine ground-floor on−site car parks and seeks a waiver on a planning scheme requirement to provide 158 spaces.
A planning application said the development complied in with policies including reduced reliance on cars, sustainable transport outcomes and affordable housing.
“The proposed development provides limited residential car parking and is proximate to tertiary education centres, public transport nodes and the city centre,” the application said.
“It is considered to be in an ideal location for student housing that promotes residents to use sustainable transport modes as opposed to a private motor vehicle.”
Two other student housing projects have also been proposed for the university precinct.
A $100 million, 5000-apartment development is earmarked for the corner of Brougham and Cavendish Sts and an $18 million, 15-storey student project is slated for I-7 Malop St.
The developers are awaiting a Federal Government decision on whether it will continue a $4.5 billion National Rent Assistance Scheme, which has been attacked for diverging from its initial purpose of funding low-cost public housing.
