BIG PLAN: Permit lodged for $22 million commercial development in Torquay

A SECOND proposal has been put forward to transform a prominent vacant block in Torquay into a major commercial development, with the lodgement of a planning permit for works worth an estimated $22 million.

The permit, now on public exhibition, was submitted by G2 Urban Planning on behalf of Baines Torquay.

According to the permit documents, the land at 85 Geelong Road (on the corner of Surf Coast Highway and Grossmans Road) would be developed into a six-theatre cinema with a total of 600 seats, a childcare facility for 130 children, a medical centre to accommodate up to 12 practitioners, a 7-Eleven service station, KFC and Zambrero restaurants, and a drivethrough Bean Squeeze coffee shop.

It is broadly similar to the SCAPE (Surf Coast Arts Precinct Entertainment) proposal that the Surf Coast Shire considered a request to amend its planning scheme to allow in 2016. SCAPE, which was also represented by G2 Urban Planning, would have contained a medical centre, aged care facility, childcare centre, café and food outlets with speciality shops, a cinema or multi-purpose function centre and a community/outdoor amphitheatre.

The planning permit also requests a reduction in the number of car parks to be built on the site.

The traffic and parking impact assessment lodged with the permit notes that the 244 car parks proposed to be built is 30 below the number required by the Surf Coast Shire’s Planning Scheme, but argues for an exemption, using attendance at the Balwyn Cinema for three months in 2011 as a case study.

“The cinema will have demands that will peak at times not coincident with those of the medical centre and the childcare facility, and completely filling eight separate theatres (buildings) is not a likely outcome.”

Public reaction to the application has been highly divisive on social media – some welcome the new facilities (particularly the KFC and cinema) and the prospect of more local jobs, while others oppose the proposed uses (particularly the KFC and service station), the lack of parking, and the development’s impact on the character of Torquay.

The Surf Coast Shire will not make a decision about the application until August 22.

To read all the planning documents, head to surfcoast.vic.gov.au/Property/Planning-and-Building/Planning.