Geelong council committee to vote on the future of a high-density Highton development four years in the making

The future of a three-story Highton development four years in the making remains unknown after updated plans emerged at the last minute.

Geelong council’s planning committee is set to rule on whether a three-storey apartment development on Barrabool Rd in Highton should be allowed to go ahead.

The future of a three-story Highton development four years in the making remains unknown after updated plans emerged at the last minute.

Geelong council’s planning committee met on Thursday to hear from all parties regarding the proposed project at 34 Barrabool Rd.

Councillor Jim Mason said the planning commitee needed more time to review the new plans for the proposed three-storey, 10-apartment development located less than 100m from the Highton Village shopping precinct.

Currently home to a single-storey residence on the northern side of the busy thoroughfare, the 994sq metre site would be dramatically transformed should the development be allowed to proceed.

“We have deferred the application in order to properly consider the amended application and proposedresolution to the overshadowing issue,” Cr Mason said.

Eight three-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom would be built across three floors, while a basement car park would provide 20 spaces and 10 secure storage units.

The building’s maximum height would be 11.1m.

A CoGG statement said their assessments of the proposal found the site width and orientation of the building would cause “unreasonable overshadowing of surrounding dwellings on the southwest side.”

“Despite the application being amended multiple times, additional plans were provided at the Planning Committee meeting to address the overshadowing issue,” the statement read.

An initial application was lodged in August 2020 and has been amended three times since.

A public consultation phase elicited eight formal and two informal objections, as well as one letter of support.

Records indicate that 34 Barrabool Rd last sold in 2019 for $840,000.

Key concerns of objectors included the high-density nature of the proposal, traffic and parking congestion, pedestrian and road safety, and overshadowing.

“The proposal represents an infill redevelopment of existing urban land contributing to housing affordability and housing choice,” council documents state.

However, the same documents state that the overshadowing of adjacent dwellings to the south-west is an issue that has not been remedied.

As such, council officers have recommended for the development to be rejected.

“This results in a non-compliance with the mandatory ‘overshadowing of open space objectives’ such that the grant of a permit should not be given,” the documents state.

An aerial view of 34 Barrabool Rd, Highton.

The planning committee has the power to ignore the recommendation and allow the project to proceed.

Deciding the future of the development will be councillors Jim Mason, Ron Nelson, mayor Trent Sullivan, Peter Murrihy, Anthony Aitken and Bruce Harwood.

Mr Nelson and Mr Harwood represent the Kardinia ward, where the property falls within.

For an application to be heard by the planning committee, a councillor must “call in” the proposal.

A minimum of two ward councillors and the committee chair – in this case Mr Mason – are all required to agree to a call in.

“A councillor may only request to call in planning applications which have six or more objections/submissions lodged or applications recommended for refusal,” according to the planning committee’s terms of reference.

The Barrabool Rd project meets both criteria.

It is unclear which councillor called the project in.

Originally published as Geelong council committee to vote on the future of a high-density Highton development four years in the making