State takes over Geelong housing plans after council misses deadline

The state government has stepped in to take over planning for four major Geelong growth areas, saying the City of Greater Geelong has failed to deliver key planning documents needed to unlock 23,000 new homes.

Premier Jacinta Allan announced on Thursday the Department of Transport and Planning would assume responsibility for four precinct structure plans in the city’s North and West that had been managed by the city.

The long-term plans set out how new suburbs will be developed, including where housing, roads, parks and community infrastructure will be built.

“These plans have been gathering cobwebs on council desks,” Allan said.

“We’ve got to have some urgency around building more homes.”

Hamlan Homes’ Josh Liston, member for Geelong Christine Couzens, minister for housing and building Nick Staikos, premier Jacinta Allan, member for Lara Ella George and minister for planning Sonya Kilkenny at Victoria’s first 3D printed social house in Norlane. Photo: Tahlia Sinclair.

Planning minister Sonya Kilkenny said the plans had been with the council since 2020 and were due to be submitted for government approval in 2023, but no paperwork had been received.

She said councils had been warned the state would intervene if key growth area planning was not delivered on time.

“We can no longer wait for council to undertake this work,” Kilkenny said.

“We said we would do this, if councils weren’t willing or able to do the work, we would step in and take the lead.”

Asked why the plans had not been submitted, Kilkenny said that was a question for the council.

The City of Greater Geelong was contacted for comment.

The above map represents the boundaries of the Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas. Photo: Victorian Planning Authority.

The city will retain responsibility for three precinct structure plans already underway, while the state will take over Batesford North, Batesford South, McCanns Lane/Merrawarp Road and Heales Road East.

The Batesford North and McCanns Lane/Merrawarp Road precinct structure plans are expected to be completed within two years, while Batesford South and Heales Road East are due by 2031.

An estimated 66,000 people will occupy the new properties.

Kilkenny said the state would deliver the four precinct structure plans a decade earlier than the city’s projected timeline.

The announcement was made at the site of Victoria’s first 3D-printed social housing project in Norlane, where Geelong builder Hamlan Homes has begun constructing two three-bedroom homes.

The homes can be built more quickly than traditional houses and have higher energy ratings, making heating and cooling cheaper for occupants.

Hamlan Homes general manager Josh Liston said printed homes are on par cost-wise with traditional builds but could become cheaper over time.