Chamber heads to The Village after 5

THE Armstrong Creek growth area has come a long way but has a long way to go, according to the company that built its first shopping centre.

APD Projects director Brad Paddon was the guest speaker at the Geelong Chamber of Commerce’s After 5 function, held at The Village Warralily – developed by APD Projects – on Thursday night.

“You are standing at the eastern end of Victoria’s largest contiguous growth area,” Mr Paddon told the crowd of more than 300 people.

“The bar has been set very high for urban development, and it was a real pleasure to be part of the large partnership that helped deliver this first commercial precinct to what will ultimately be home to an area of 55,000 or 60,000 people.

“There’s a lot of commercial opportunities that are emerging here, and everything you see around you is only less than half built, so we’ve got a long way to go.”

He said APD Projects was attracted to Armstrong Creek because of the lifestyle and employment opportunities, as well as the land value.

“There’s more development in the new community space going on in Geelong than there is in most of the growth areas in Melbourne, and that’s no accident.”

At the function, immediate former Geelong Chamber of Commerce president Kylie Warne was also presented with life membership of the chamber, to her complete surprise.

“I love the chamber – I’ve loved to watch it grow with Geelong,” she said.

“Geelong’s come such a long way over the past few years and I believe the chamber’s been a part of that story.”