Central Geelong’s key players and decision makers came together on Tuesday to provide insights and ideas that will shape the future of our CBD.
The Central Geelong Revitalisation Forum brought together decision-makers from all walks of life who will play a vital role in redeveloping our city’s heart.
We heard from more than 80 participants including developers, investors, landowners, town planners, representatives from advocacy groups and government agencies, and politicians from all three tiers of government.
With state government setting an ambitious housing target of almost 130,000 new homes to be built in Greater Geelong by 2051, we need to get more people living in the CBD.
State government’s Central Geelong Framework Plan outlines a vision for our CBD to be home to 16,000 people by 2050 – compared to roughly 2500 today – and support 60,000 jobs, up from approximately 24,000.
But currently 16 approved developments, which would create more than 1200 new dwellings in central Geelong, are not under construction.
The purpose of the forum was to identify the barriers holding back these and other developments in our CBD.
The forum featured a panel of prominent developers who provided invaluable insights into the challenges they face in balancing commercial viability with great design.
Among the issues raised were the Moorabool Street bus interchange, parking, transport connections, land and property taxes, planning controls, safety and anti-social behaviour and a lack of attractions to make people want to live in Geelong’s CBD.
The forum explored grand ideas and solutions like trackless trams, driver-less busses, vertical schools and cruise ship infrastructure.
And the majority of participants supported our vision for a mixed residential-commercial redevelopment of the Market Square precinct, which would transform the culture of our CBD.
I look forward to meeting with one of Market Square’s owners, Phil Wong, in a few weeks to discuss how we can move this vision forward.
But the Market Square redevelopment and other key developments are not going to happen overnight.
We also needed to look at potential quick wins for our CBD.
Can we beautify patches of un-used ‘dead space’ to enhance our CBD streetscapes?
Can we introduce a weekly outdoor market and other initiatives to boost trade?
Can we find ways to activate the first floor of some buildings in our CBD that are not being fully utilised?
Can we reduce working from home to get more people into the CBD?
Can we implement a special economic zone with tax and rates exemptions, and be more flexible with planning controls, to help get developments off the ground?
The future of central Geelong is exciting, especially with the impending completion of the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre.
This project will be a shot in the arm for our city, with the potential to draw hundreds of thousands of people to the CBD.
But we need to develop a holistic and comprehensive vision for central Geelong, to motivate people to live in our CBD and ensure those that visit want to come back.
