Pakington St development proposal before Geelong council again as plans for a ‘community panel’ are presented

In the latest chapter of a saga that dates back to 2018, a “community panel” of up to 60 people will have their say on how to develop the Pakington North precinct.

A “community panel” of up to 60 people will have their say on a controversial plan to overhaul one of Geelong’s most well-known streets.

Residents are being warned they have one final chance to have their say on a controversial plan to overhaul Pakington St, as Geelong council endorses yet another round of community consultation.

In the latest chapter of a saga that dates back to 2018, Geelong council unanimously voted at Tuesday night’s meeting to proceed with a “deliberative engagement plan” (DEP) relating to the Pakington North precinct.

An expression of interest process for a “community panel” will begin in the next fortnight.

The precinct takes in Pakington St from Church St in the north to Waratah St and Wellington St in the south.

It is the final piece in the jigsaw to overhaul the popular Pakington St strip, after council endorsed the urban design framework (UDF) for the Geelong West end of Pakington St and for Gordon Ave in December 2021.

The UDF outlines the future development of Pakington St and Gordon Ave, including residential developments of up to 10 storeys, improved cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and a 30km/h speed limit through the “heritage core” of Pakington St.

As part of the DEP, building heights in the Pakington North precinct are “negotiable”.

Capire Consulting will oversee the consultation after council’s earlier efforts to engage the community failed to result in an agreed position.

It is hoped the process will result in a panel-endorsed UDF being presented to council for adoption mid next year.

“The panel will work together to deliberate over a number of key themes of public realm, built form controls and access and movement,” the DEP states.

Capire recommends that the panel consist of between 43 and 60 people – “a large enough group for diversity of views and small enough to have in-depth conversation and achieve collective agreements”.

“While the study area is site-specific, the final participant mix will reflect the demographic make-up of the broader community,” the DEP states.

Councillor Eddy Kontelj, whose Brownbill ward takes in the precinct, told the meeting that, ultimately, there would be “winners and losers”.

“The next time it comes to the (council) chamber it will be to vote on the UDF (urban design framework) … not everyone will be satisfied, but at least you’ve had an opportunity to put forward your views, your opinions, your recommendations,” he said.

Fellow Brownbill councillor Peter Murrihy said he could not recall another issue in the region that had involved so much community engagement.

“It’s certainly been a journey,” he said.

“We’re not quite at the pointy end, but we’re certainly well down the track now and there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

A “Help Save Pako Street” Facebook group has more than 500 members and states its aim as “helping fight the high-density housing development up to 10 storey building at either end of Pakington St”.

“We don’t want our streets becoming car parks,” it says.

Earlier this year, Geelong council rejected a proposal for a four-storey office building within the Pakington North precinct.

Originally published as Pakington St development proposal before Geelong council again as plans for a ‘community panel’ are presented