APARTMENT APPEAL: VCAT to rule on divisive Newcombe St development

A CONTENTIOUS planning saga about an apartment block on the bay side of Portarlington’s main street is set to continue for several more months before a final decision from the state planning umpire.

Developers for the multi-storey proposal at 49 Newcombe Street have escalated the matter to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), after the City of Greater Geelong missed its deadline to make a final call on the proposal.

The hearing will set up a showdown between the prospective developers and a cohort of community objectors led by the Portarlington Community Association, to be heard in September.

A development syndicate is seeking to build 10 apartments and two retail spaces in a new complex at the former post office site.

The group says it has responded to changes demanded by the state government during an earlier failed attempt to develop the land, but the community group argues the changes are “cosmetic” and don’t fit in with the character of the area.

The proposal to develop the site for a mixed-use residential and retail project was first lodged in 2019. In mid-2021, then-Planning Minister Richard Wynne called in the application and ultimately decided to refuse a permit.

The complex had initially aimed for 16 apartments and reduced its ambition to 11 by the time Mr Wynne made his decision.

Developers returned with amended plans for 10 residences last year, which were advertised by Geelong council in December.

A spokesperson for the development consortium, Greg Murray said the council’s delay on a final decision had led the syndicate to advance the issue.

“The non-determination period from the council is finished. We felt we were left with no alternative but do take it to VCAT and let [it] be the final arbiter as to whether or not this application goes through,” he said.

“We’re confident, in as much as the minister gave us a list of changes that need to be made before we could expect to get a permit.

“And with the help of the council planning department, we implemented those changes. We’ve done everything that we were asked to do.”

In its submission to the council during the most recent exhibition phase, the PCA argued that the project was “an unacceptable response in the site’s physical and planning context”.

PCA president Geoff Fary said in December the build was better suited elsewhere in the town.

“This particular location, which would block out the vista of the bay from the main street, is inappropriate,” he said.

Recently the PCA has called on the federal and state governments to buy back the Newcombe Street site and return it to public space – an idea the development group has rubbished.

The City of Greater Geelong opposed the plans in 2021 but did not formally decide on the latest proposal.

A pre-hearing conference is set for July 10 at the tribunal, before the main case hearing runs from September 4 to 7.