Public say for Rippleside apartment block

THE final stage of Rippleside’s Balmoral Quay development will go to public consultation next year for the community to have its say on a proposed apartment building.

Developers would build a seven-storey apartment building containing 84 residences, a marina office and car parking at Harbourside Drive in the fifth stage of long-running development plan for the former Rippleside Shipyards site.

The Balmoral Quay site has already seen properties built for stage one and two of its development, while new townhouses are due for construction in two more stages during 2023 and 2025 as part of the staged project first approved by the state planning umpire in 2005.

The City of Greater Geelong is considering a planning proposal, which involves a planning scheme amendment to double the existing allowed building height for the area for the 28.2-metre-high development.

The amendment would require state government approval for it and the planned building to proceed.

The city has voted to release plans for public comment, which will happen early in 2023, before referral to the state government.

Councillors were split on the idea at last week’s meeting, as they weighed up the need for appropriate urban development to boost residential infill against allowing further community input into the designs.

Cr Peter Murrihy said the proposal’s position sloping down into the Rippleside cliff face and setbacks in the building’s design helped reduce negative amenity impacts from its height.

He also welcomed the chance for local advocacy groups to provide feedback before the plans went to the state government.

“It’s not fait accompli, it goes out to public consultation. It’s a unique landscape there and a great opportunity with this project,” he said.

Councillors were also generally supportive of a 2.2 per cent social housing contribution mandate as part of the development, but questioned whether the provision could be higher and remove a loophole allowing for a “cash contribution” instead of dwellings.

Cr Kylie Gyrzbek and Cr Ron Nelson both said they preferred to hear community consultation before agreeing to hand the plans up to the Planning Minister, and voted against the motion.