Port under siege

Andrew Mathieson
PORTARLINGTON could lose its “village atmosphere” under council plans to increase housing density, according to community groups.
Portarlington Community Association and Friends of the Bellarine Hills are fighting the plans to increase housing density in a 400 metres raduis of the town centre.
The groups said they were also worried about proposed removal of a 7.5-metre building limit to allow for three-storey developments and for two-storey buildings without planning permits.
The groups believed the proposed planning processes allowed for growth at more than double the demand for medium and high-density dwellings.
Community association member Jenny Wills said “historically significant” buildings would have to make way for new developments under the plan.
Ms Wills was among residents who had put in a submission against the proposal, fearing it would “obliterate the village atmosphere” at Portarlington.
“What they’re proposing means that our historically and culturally significant centre of Portarlington will be opened up to higher three-storey developments as well as extra density on the blocks,” she said.
“Older people don’t want to travel up – we want low-scale development.
“What they’re suggesting won’t meet that demand.”
A planning document said City of Greater Geelong’s housing diversity strategy aimed for a mix of “high, medium and conventional housing densities within established urban areas”.
The proposed amendment changes targeted an area between Stevens, Harding, Fisher and Fenwick streets because the City considered Portarlington as having two separate town centres.
The other was on Sproat Street and Geelong Road.
But Mrs Wills said Portarlington should not have the same planning schemes as Geelong.
“We’re not an established urban area as such – we’re a seaside village,” she said.
“It will dramatically change the town and I think it caters to the needs of particular developers who want to develop three-storey dwellings in the heart of Portarlington.”
Friends of the Bellarine Hills labelled the proposed planning amendments “the biggest changes ever to the structure plan” for Portarlington.
Members Judy Bracken and Des Badrock feared “grave consequences” for Portarlington.
“We accept that change is inevitable but we want assurances the changes will not be destructive,” they said.
The friends group hosted an information session last week on the planning amendment changes and ran a workshop on Saturday for residents to have their say in the submission process.
Submissions close Thursday before the proposed changes go before an independent panel.