$35m warehouse plan revealed

AN ULTRA-MODERN, $35-million industrial park in Corio would build 14 warehouses across five properties in a major investment for the northern Geelong precinct.

Developers Volume Group have applied to transform the 5.47-hectare greenfield site at Innovation Drive within the emerging industrial precinct.

Plans are now being advertised after more than 18 months of work with the City of Greater Geelong.

The new warehouses would be built across five subdivided lots ranging from 8,160sqm and 12,027sqm.

Planners say the proposal meets COGG’s vision for the Geelong Ring Road Employment Precinct (GREP) to become a high-amenity industrial area and to continue driving jobs growth in the city’s northern suburbs.

Proponents also say the submitted plans are the result of more than a year-and-a-half of negotiation with city planners.

“This proposal has been progressively refined to accommodate traffic, engineering, planning policy and other design considerations that have arisen out of the extensive investigations undertaken for the project,” planning documents stated.

“Spiire have been involved from the initial five-lot subdivision lodged to the City of Greater Geelong in August 2021.”

Watson Young Architects designed the buildings within the GREP, which intend to incorporate “a broad mix of materials and textures to create interest and variety” including precast concrete, profiled metal, white aluminium panels, skillion roof form with skylights and solar panels.

“Each of the warehouses will be easily identifiable with a variety and forms and materials proposed, combining to contribute to a cohesive and integrated industrial precinct,” documents stated.

COGG is advertising the plans until Monday (March 20).