Have your say on sky-high Geelong

A PLAN to transform South Geelong with residential and commercial developments of up to 10 storeys has been released for public feedback.

Geelong Council on Tuesday voted to release the city’s draft South Geelong Urban Design Framework for an eight-week consultation period.

The framework proposal nominates the Moorabool Street and South Geelong station precincts as “key development areas” in which buildings of up to 10 storeys could increase housing supply.

Councillor Pat Murnane noted the framework represented the city’s efforts to address infill opportunities, to allow the city to best cope with its population boom.

“We know that our city has got planned population growth of very substantial numbers in the next 30, 40, 50 years, and we’ll need to have the ideas and the planning to cope with that,” Mr Murnane said.

“We also know that the answer to that growth will be a combination of newly created suburban areas, but also infill. And that infill in existing suburbs is obviously one of the more difficult things to do.

“I think getting that right is going to have a major effect on both the past and future character of our city and character of those suburbs.”

The move to medium and high-density development in the area had the potential to create opposition in the community, some councillors said, with deputy mayor Kylie Grzybeck revealing she was “a little concerned” about proposed building heights.

The council called on residents to actively take part in the community consultation.

“How we go about it is the important thing,” Councillor Sarah Mansfield said.

Residents can provide feedback at yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au.