Panel agrees with pressing need for Curlewis hub

AN INDEPENDENT planning panel has found there is a “current demand and need” for the proposed Curlewis Early Years and Community Hub (CCH), and it should be built faster than the City of Greater Geelong’s timeline of eight years.

Planning Panels Victoria has considered the city’s Planning Scheme Amendment C387, which will allow stage 2 of the Jetty Road Urban Growth Area to go ahead.

According to the 2011 development contributions plan (DCP) for stage 1, the hub, which would have a child and maternal services area and other facilities, was slated to be built near the existing shops in 2022-2023 or when 1,800 lots had been delivered in stage 1.

However, when the city publicly exhibited Amendment C387 earlier this year, the DCP’s proposed opening date of the hub was revised to “2031 or at an alternative time to be decided by Council if supported by demand evidence”.

Several community members living in Curlewis objected to this, saying population and timeline triggers for the hub had already been met and the hub should be under construction by now.

In their report about Amendment C387, panel chair Sarah Raso and members Geoff Glynn and George Borg found the city should adopt the amendment, subject to a long list of revisions.

Regarding the CCH, the panel accepted there was “a strong local demand and need, both in the short and long term, for the delivery of the CCH”.

“The panel accepts Council’s position that it would need to commence the planning and design process for the CCH three or four years prior to its delivery. Realistically, the earliest the planning and design process is likely to commence would be around 2025 or 2026.

“Further, the timing for the construction of the infrastructure will be influenced by many factors, including fiscal considerations.”

“The panel therefore considers that while there is a current demand and need for the CCH, the indicative project timing for the construction of the CCH (by 2031) in the Stage 2 DCP is appropriate.”

The panel also urged the city to start planning and designing the hub now with the aim of building the CCH “well before 2031, to meet the existing demand and need for this facility”.

“Acknowledging that Council needs to act responsibly and consider various matters including the fiscal environment, Council is also encouraged to consider a more creative solution to delivering the CCH, such as [developer] Algo has attempted to initiate through its master planning process for the land.”