No change to eight-storey Pako plan

GEELONG WEST residents fear their concerns about potential high-rise development along Pakington Street are falling on deaf ears, as Geelong council starts a new engagement round on the divisive strategy.

Objectors to the plan believe the City of Greater Geelong has failed to address concerns regarding building heights, neighbourhood character impacts and traffic, eight months after it committed to consider further community feedback.

COGG has again opened community consultation for its Pakington North Precinct Urban Design Framework (UDF), which will guide 20 years of future planning decisions.

Earlier engagement on the plan prompted a wave of community opposition, culminating in a “Help Save Pako Street” social media group and a petition that attracted 877 signatures.

The UDF proposes a gradual transition from two-storey limits in the street’s heritage area up to eight-storey mixed-use buildings at the northern end, especially near the railyard precinct.

But the new consultation proposes no changes to the draft UDF presented last year and instead aims to “increase community understanding” of the plan, to the frustration of nearby residents.

“The feeling we’re getting is that council wants to re-educate residents, rather than take residents’ concerns seriously with a view of modifying what they’ve put out,” group member Dr Jane Mooney said.

Fellow group member Angela Mangan described the scale of development as “mind-boggling” for Geelong West, and said it threatened to destroy the charm of the precinct.

Impacts from new residences on already strained traffic and parking congestion at the main thoroughfare and surrounding streets is also of concern to locals.

COGG has indicated that those decisions are subject to individual planning assessments and are not part of consideration for the UDF.

The city said its UDF aimed to prevent inappropriate development while proving greater opportunities for housing, retail and hospitality.

“We want to help the community understand the proposed building controls and how they will be used to shape the renewal of the northern end of Pakington Street,” mayor Peter Murrihy said.

“Community feedback is key to this process, and we want to consider the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors to the northern end of Pakington Street.”

COGG has already approved a UDF in December for Gordon Avenue and a Heritage Core precinct south of Wellington Street, when it committed to further engagement with the community on the Pakington North plan.

An online webinar on Thursday (August 18) from 6.30pm begins the consultation, before the city hosts “neighbourhood chats” on August 27 and 28 to address specific concerns for particular areas.

The engagement period closes on September 11.