By Luke Voogt
Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher has committed to lobby the state government to increase developer contributions, following revelations the city could be missing out on millions of dollars.
Cr Asher this week revealed plans to lobby for a contribution scheme in council’s proposed north and west growth areas, set to house 110,000 new residents by 2050.
She said the scheme would be similar to state government’s Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC), which raises money for new infrastructure but only applies to Melbourne growth areas.
“From [council’s] planning team, it seems like something that’s been underway for last decade,” Cr Asher said.
“My understanding is that it probably wouldn’t have that actual name but it’s something that I absolutely would support – increasing developer contributions.”
Cr Asher said the scheme could prevent growing pains in the growth areas similar to what had occurred in other local developments.
“I know in Armstrong Creek, it wasn’t done well. Certainly on the Bellarine [Peninsula] people are expecting infrastructure in return for development.
“[Ratepayers] want to see the direct result really – OK, we’re taking the development, so where’s the infrastructure matching up?”
The commitment comes after former Geelong chair of the Urban Development Institute of Australia and Barwon Heads investment banker Tom Roe took aim at the state government’s decision not to apply the GAIC to Geelong.
A taxation scheme for the growth areas could create hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure, he said.
While Geelong developers do not currently pay the Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution to state government, they do pay a Development Contributions Levy to council.
This levy supports projects such as roads, public transport infrastructure, drainage, bikes paths, childcare centres and health facilities.
