Land acquisition for Barwon Heads Road duplication approved

THE state government has approved the plan to acquire land that will allow the duplication of Barwon Heads Road.

The $318 million duplication project extends four kilometres from Settlement Road in Belmont to Reserve Road in Marshall.

The upgrade also includes building a bridge over the railway line at Marshall, upgraded intersections, and the installation of new street lighting, road signage, drainage and landscaping.

Construction is expected to start this year and be complete towards the end 2023.

A Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) to the City of Greater Geelong’s Planning Scheme was needed to obtain the necessary planning approvals for the project, and Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) accepted submissions about the amendment for three weeks in July 2020.

In its submissions, the City of Greater Geelong noted the need for the project and indicated its support for the duplication of Barwon Heads Road.

“As part of the Planning Scheme Amendment, we consulted with local stakeholders, including the City of Greater Geelong, local landowners, businesses and environmental groups, who noted the need for the project and gave feedback on improved active transport facilities and the need for continued access to key community services,” a MRPV spokesperson said.

MRPV submitted the PSA to the state government for approval, and the PSA was published in the Victoria Government Gazette on December 7, 2020.

The amendment applies the Specific Controls Overlay to land required for the project and allowing the use and development of that land in accordance with the specific control in the Barwon Heads Road (Settlement Road, Belmont to Reserve Road, Marshall) Duplication Project Incorporated Document, and applying the Public Acquisition Overlay to land required for the project.

The McAteer’s bluestone cottage is still slated for demolition as part of the duplication, despite calls from the community to preserve it, but MRPV is drafting a Heritage Interpretation Strategy to honour the cottage and increase community awareness of the important contribution that Marshalltown has made to the Greater Geelong community.