Feedback opens on Avalon employment plan

THE Victorian government is seeking feedback on plans for the Avalon Airport precinct that will support an initial 8,000 jobs.

Last week, consultation opened on an amendment to the draft Greater Avalon Employment Precinct (GAEP) plan, which will transform more than 3,400 hectares of land into a nationally significant hub for manufacturing, logistics, clean tech and recycling.

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is preparing a planning scheme amendment for the GAEP, which aims to deliver capacity for approximately 8,000 of an estimated 26,500 jobs when the GAEP (including Avalon Airport) is fully built out.

Prepared in partnership with the City of Greater Geelong, the amendment includes a planning response backed by environmental safeguards for Ramsar wetlands and local biodiversity corridors.

Two GAEP zones neighbour the 1,856 hectare Avalon Airport site: on land located between the Princes Freeway and Beach Road (GAEP North, 640 hectares), and between the Princes Highway and Avalon Road (GAEP West, 941 hectares)

According to the GAEP’s Engage Victoria website, the amendment will adopted a staging approach with continued growth of the Avalon Airport and Point Wilson.

GAEP West will be rezoned first, with GAEP North eligible for rezoning in the future once criteria relating to the Beach Road interchange, drainage, biodiversity, infrastructure and land supply are addressed.

Issues raised in consultation so far include:

Leveraging the precinct’s location for logistics, advanced manufacturing and circular economy industries

Protecting the Ramsar wetlands, coastal saltmarsh, and downstream ecosystems from stormwater runoff

Responding to flooding, sea level rise and biodiversity constraints, and

Ensuring development is compatible with Avalon Airport operations and future expansion.

Development at Avalon Airport itself is being guided by its own masterplan, which is being updated.

The GAEP amendment follows the completion of a freight processing centre at Avalon last month and the announcement of international flights to and from Bali as well as a new bus route between Lara Railway Station and Avalon.

“One in four Victorians live and work in the regions. That’s why we’re planning precincts like Avalon to make sure we can continue to deliver more good jobs for Victorians close to where they live,” Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny said.

“This is all about unlocking land, unlocking investment, and unlocking thousands of jobs.”

Lara MP Ella George welcomed the amendment.

“The Avalon precinct is already a jobs powerhouse and this consultation is the next step in unlocking everything it has to offer,” she said.

A drop-in session will take place at Lara Hall today (Friday, November 28) from 2pm to 4pm, and an online information session will take place on Thursday, December 4 from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

For more information to to provide feedback, head to engage.vic.gov.au/GreaterAvalon