‘Anger’ at super plan

Andrew Mathieson
HIGHTON landowners have paid up to $280,000 for “premium” house blocks only to discover they could end up living next to a shopping centre, according to an objector.
Vince Albanese said retail giant Woolworths had submitted plans to council for re-zoning residential land adjacent to Barrabool Hills Baptist Church for a supermarket and 11 shops.
The proposed Barrabool Hills Shopping Centre had angered residents with its plans for the last stage of the development, he said.
Residents feared their property values would plunge if the shopping centre won planning approval.
“I reckon they’d be down $100,000 for each block straight away,” Mr Albanese said.
“I think it’s completely unethical and should be against the law.”
Mr Albanese, a Belmont retailer in High Street, purchased land with “magnificent views” only a block from the proposed site.
Geelong’s council should block the proposal, he said.
“You don’t need another shopping centre here. You’ve got Belmont three minutes away by car, Highton two minutes, Waurn Ponds five minutes and everything expanding.
“It’s completely unnecessary. It’s just big-box development and it’s serving (Woolworths) best and not the public.”
Deakin ward by-election candidate Angelo Kakouros said he had door-knocked hundreds of residents upset they were not consulted on the shopping centre plan.
“A lot of people have the impression that if something has been proposed, it’s going to go ahead anyway.”
Mr Kakouros labelled the proposal a “fairly large development”.
Many residential land owners in the area bought their allotments more than 12 months before Woolworths submitted its plans, he said.
“They spent a lot of money to purchase their dream homes…and it’s critical we get the right development and right infrastructure for the area.”
Mr Kakouros joined Member for South Barwon Andrew Katos and councillor Stretch Kontelj at a forum on Wednesday night to hear residents concerns in Highton and Wandana Heights.