Noodle Box and Curls & Swirls to make way for new pedestrian laneway in Geelong’s CBD

The state government has acquired two Ryrie St properties and will demolish the buildings later this year, replacing them with a pedestrian laneway that it hopes will help reduce anti-social behaviour in the area.

On the move: Curls & Swirls owner Anne Sood says she is sad to be leaving the site where her business has been for four years. Picture: Mark Wilson.

Two CBD businesses are being forced to find a new home as the state government pushes ahead with plans to demolish the Ryrie St buildings and replace them with a pedestrian laneway that it hopes will help reduce anti-social behaviour in the area.

The government has acquired 184-186 Ryrie St, currently home to Noodle Box and Curls & Swirls, and will start construction of the $2.3m project later this year.

Noodle Box is not moving far, having secured a lease at 105 Ryrie St, while Curls & Swirls owner Anne Sood said she was searching for another location after four years at the current site.

“This situation is a bitter truth to digest,” she said ahead of the closure on January 28.

“The location was so vibrant, within the CBD and next to the cinema, a lot of foot traffic, just fantastic.

“Hopefully we can find something just as good.”

A pedestrian laneway from Ryrie St to Market St will see two buildings demolished. Picture: Mark Wilson.

The project was first flagged in the government’s Laneways Action Plan (LAP) in 2018, and listed as a key action in last year’s Central Geelong Framework Plan.

The removal of the buildings will create a link between Union and Market streets, which consultants Space Syntax said would encourage significant north-south movement.

“This would improve pedestrian flow to the Market Square mall, which may in turn alleviate some of the anti-social behavioural issues currently being experienced in that public space,” the LAP said.

Construction is expected to take six months and will be delivered in partnership between the government and Geelong council, similar to the recently completed Dennys Place laneway that connects Malop and Little Malop streets.

Dennys Place laneway. Picture: Mark Wilson.

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny said the government was focused on enhancing laneway connections throughout the CBD.

The state government’s Laneways Action Plan recommends the construction of new connections throughout central Geelong.

“The Central Geelong Framework Plan focuses on the growth and development of Geelong’s city centre, providing clarity and direction for future building design and scale and actions to improve pedestrian connectivity through the construction of new laneways,” she said.

Coming from the south, there is currently no access to Ryrie St between Yarra and Moorabool streets, and the new connection could be the first stage of a much bigger project.

The LAP said future development should provide for a continuous link between Market St and Little Myers St, which would require the removal of the Haymarket car park.

“If the site is developed with an underground parking structure to replace and supplement the number of surface parking spaces, there is the possibility of developing a new public park, which would add to the setting for St Mary of the Angels Basilica,” the plan

“Along with the park, residential development is encouraged on the portion of the site with residences facing the new laneway and park, while still respecting the heritage assets on the site.”

The Space Syntax study underpinned many of the LAP’s recommendations.

It found current connections are convoluted and offer little inter-block connectivity.

“A number of smaller laneways, which are currently disconnected, provide an opportunity to enhance the connectivity and permeability of central Geelong,” it said.

Originally published as Noodle Box and Curls & Swirls to make way for new pedestrian laneway in Geelong’s CBD