Residents living next to the former Geelong saleyards could be unaware of recently-approved plans for a 1300-resident development on the site, a councillor has warned.
“There are many positive aspects of this plan and I’ve been supportive of it since its inception, notwithstanding it’s sad we have lost the saleyards,” Eddy Kontelj said during council’s Tuesday night meeting.
“My only concern is that the broader community are potentially still not aware of just how significant this development is, and what is going to be occurring in the future.”
The Brownbill ward councillor acknowledged some community feedback on the project to redevelop the North Geelong saleyards, which were operational for almost 150 years from 1869, and are located close to the suburb’s border with Geelong West.
But Cr Kontelj said organisations like the Pakington Street Traders Association, “who are quite knowledgeable on all things Geelong West”, had little “knowledge of this topic”.
“Like many of these developments, it’s not until it starts or turns up in your backyard that you finally realise, ‘oh hell, I didn’t know that was going on’.
“I do still harbour some concerns that when the first sod is turned we’ll start to hear feedback.”
Fellow Brownbill ward councillor Peter Murrihy acknowledged community concerns over traffic, preserving heritage, social housing and impacts on neighbouring areas.
But he said residents would have further chances to examine and comment on the “exciting project” and that historical material would be reused wherever possible.
“The preferred outcome is that this site will become the flagship community of northern Geelong.”
The plans include four hectares of parkland, 18,000 square metres of commercial space and a plaza with weather protection, seating, bicycle parking and landscaping.
Windermere ward councillor Anthony Aitken encouraged council to move to the planning scheme amendment process “ASAP” to financially assist its bottom line.
“We’ve got a significant financial interest in this site location with the potential sale of [the] saleyards,” he said.
Council voted unanimously to approve the plans, which now await approval from the Victorian planning minister.
