$20m proposal on hold
Portarlington plot will not be rezoned for housing
A PROPOSED $20 million residential complex in Portarlington has been knocked back, but the door has been left open for a revised plan for the precinct.
City of Greater Geelong administrators rejected a move to rezone the commercial land at 30-42 Geelong Rd, Portarlington, to mixed use, to allow for a four-storey accommodation and retail hub.
Billed by developer Bill Votsaris as the first of its kind on the Bellarine Peninsula, the proposal was for 55 one and two-bedroom apartments above ground-level shops and offices.
While it had some support from council officers, an independent planning panel found a mixed use zoning and highdensity housing was not currently supported.
“This, though, does not change the fact that the precinct is in need of renewal and residential uses should be able to form part of that renewal,” planning and development general manager Peter Bettess said in a report.
“The precinct offers opportunities for but not limited to: self-contained quality short- term accommodation; medium density housing; retirement living; and food and drink premises.”
Council chief administrator Kathy Alexander acknowledged there were benefits to the proposal, including urban renewal and providing quality tourist accommodation and job opportunities.
“The precinct clearly has development potential,” Dr Alexander said. “However, local policy favours development respecting the coastal character of Portarlington, and encourages higher density mixed use apartments in and around the town centre.”