Plans to enliven Geelong’s Market Square precinct are now in the hands of community members.
The City is encouraging residents and visitors to help shape the future of central Geelong’s Market Square Quarter by taking feedback in person on the draft masterplan for the city block bound by Malop, Yarra, Ryrie and Moorabool streets on Tuesday February 6 from noon to 2pm.
Community members can drop in at 111-113 Little Malop Street, Geelong to read about the vision, ask questions and have their say. There’s no need to register.
The draft Market Square Quarter Masterplan seeks to guide development and progressively revamp the city block by turning it into the thriving heart of Geelong, with Little Malop Central becoming a more welcoming, accessible, vibrant and safe meeting place.
It proposes a pedestrian ‘Eat-Street’ with outdoor dining that extends Union Street through the site, an outdoor market and two new plazas designed in collaboration with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners.
The vision was informed by engagement with community members who called for more dining opportunities, a fresh food market or a supermarket, more public art, live music and events, diverse shopping opportunities and the creation of an external shopping experience or high street.
As the land is owned by private landholders and government, the final plan will require partnerships between landowners, developers, local and state government, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and the broader Geelong community to be fully realised.
Councillor Peter Murrihy said the draft masterplan would not require any changes to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme.
“The preferred ‘Malop Heart’ option has been assessed against the requirements of the Central Geelong Framework Plan and the Planning Scheme and has been found to be the most economically viable option,” he said.
“The masterplan will be used to secure funding for key actions identified in the plan and to guide future public realm projects in the quarter.”
The online survey remains open until Thursday February 11 at yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/MSM
