City Settlement Strategy to slow growth on the Bellarine

THE City of Greater Geelong is putting the brakes on new housing on the Bellarine, releasing plans for the municipality’s growth over the next few decades.

Councillors considered the Settlement Strategy, which directs where growth and development should occur in Geelong out to 2050 at their meeting on Tuesday night.

A key direction of the draft strategy is that the share of new development on the Bellarine will decline over time to preserve the character of the area, and rural living developments will be limited to existing zoned land in Lara, Drysdale, Clifton Springs and Wallington.

Speaking at a media briefing last week, Geelong mayor Bruce Harwood said the strategy recognised “the Bellarine is nearing its limit” and growth hould
be directed elsewhere.

“The Bellarine makes up just over a quarter of Greater Geelong’s total housing stock, yet over the past 10 years it has provided almost 40 per cent of all new housing development.

“This demonstrates the further urgency required in making sure there is an even spread of development and a broader choice of housing locations for potential buyers.”

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