Hamilton Group launches new bid for Geelong power station project

Hamilton Group’s new $30m vision for North Geelong’s Power Station is on planning fast-track after plenty of work to soothe opponents and target industry needs. See the plans.

Artist's renders of the proposed redevelopment of Power Station B to create a seven-storey building at 50 Mackey St, North Geelong. A planning scheme amendment and draft planning permit are before the state government for approval.

Geelong’s Hamilton Group has launched a new bid to redevelop the old North Geelong power station overlooking Corio Bay.

The developer behind the award-winning Federal Mills project is charting a $30m mixed use industry innovation hub while seeking to cap office space through a planning scheme amendment.

The plans have been submitted to the state government’s fast-track Development Facilitation Program (DFP) for priority assessment.

RELATED: Seller looks up as buyers mull eight-storey Geelong CBD opportunity

Deputy PM finds the recipe to fix Geelong CBD woes

Could a Fed Square vision restart Geelong’s beating heart?

Hamilton Group managing director Cam Hamilton said the project would build on successes at Pivot City innovation hub at Federal Mills and Glass House in attracting key port and industry-related organisations and jobs.

“Pivot City has become a significant cluster for port and industry organisations,” Mr Hamilton said.

“We’ve got the headquarters for PortsVictoria, construction companies working on projects like the Spirit of Tasmania terminal and even the Avalon Airshow gets organised here.

Artist's renders of the proposed redevelopment of Power Station B to create a seven-storey building at 50 Mackey St, North Geelong.

“It’s this level of demand that has resulted in the existing sites being at 95 per cent capacity. “We’re in a position where we have more port and industry-related organisations wanting to join the site, but we’re going to have to start turning them away.

“The new spaces at the Power Station are essential to meet the proven demand. More so because they are better designed for their needs.”

Hamilton Group has worked with key state government and industry stakeholders for two years to completely overhaul the 2018 proposal, which the planning minister blocked in 2020.

“We spent a lot of time understanding the key concerns with the first proposal and through a heavily consultative approach, we’re confident we’ve made significant changes to not only answer the historical concerns, but to also enhance the value the site can deliver,” he said.

Artist's renders of the proposed redevelopment of Power Station B to create a seven-storey building at 50 Mackey St, North Geelong.

Jam Architecture has designed the seven-storey redevelopment of the power station building with a highly articulated industrial facade, with landscape design inputs by Hamilton Green Landscaping and ecological sustainable development by Eco Results.

The ground floor and levels 1 and 2 would be compliant for use as factory, laboratory or warehouse spaces, including industrial heating, ventilation and airconditioning, with a freight elevator and storage area providing access for up to 5-tonne forklift. Office spaces would occupy higher levels, some enjoying views over Corio Bay.

The proposed redevelopment of Power Station B would make a dramatic improvement to the first impression for passengers arriving in Geelong on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry.

It would make a marked improvement to the first impression for passengers arriving in Geelong on the Spirit of Tasmania passenger ferry.

The planning scheme amendment to limit office space is being considered alongside a draft planning permit in an effort to alleviate previous objections that substantial office use would create reverse amenity issues for heavy industrial or port-related neighbours.

The developer makes an undertaking to sign a land use agreement enshrining at least 60 per cent of the net leasable floor area for tenants with a close, continuous and functional relationship with industrial land uses, or port, agriculture, logistics and infrastructure uses.

Artist's renders of the proposed redevelopment of Power Station B to create a seven-storey building at 50 Mackey St, North Geelong.

Office use from industry sectors such as health and social assistance, accounting, financial and insurance, that would typically be housed in Geelong’s CBD would be discouraged.

Mr Hamilton said there have been genuine commitments from several prospective tenants to occupy the building, should the development proceed.

“We looked at the increasing demand at Pivot City from port and industry-related tenants (such as PortsVictoria, EPA Victoria, AMDA, SMEC Engineering, Scaada, Australian Border Force and Symal) and designed a development which meets their unique needs for a mixture of high-spec spaces for administration, technology, prototyping, testing and training,” he said.

The former North Geelong power station in Mackey St, North Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd

The North Geelong Power Station B opened in 1954 and was decommissioned in 1979, remaining vacant since with the exception of a temporary street art gallery that operated about 10 years ago.

Originally published as Hamilton Group launches new bid for Geelong power station project