Geelong council endorse draft Market Square masterplan, divided on how to activate city centre

Councillors have blamed Market Square’s elusive owners and the Department of Transport for the centre’s “demise”.

Geelong city council have endorsed its draft Market Square masterplan.

City Hall has called for “action” from the owners of the embattled Market Square shopping centre to help activate the heart of Geelong.

Councillors voted to endorse the draft Market Square masterplan at Tuesday night’s meeting, however they did not agree on how to activate the area.

Market Square’s elusive owners and the Department of Transport were blamed for much of the precinct’s woes.

In moving the motion, councillor Peter Murrihy said Geelong residents were “screaming from the rooftops” for the city to “fix Market Square”.

Mr Murrihy said he hoped the draft masterplan would “prompt some action or response from the owners of Market Square”.

“Perhaps we could finally find an area we could call the heart of Geelong,” he said.

The draft masterplan, which is now out for public comment, could see the “much maligned” precinct transformed into an area boasting a hotel, apartments, public forecourt, as well as a retail and entertainment complex.

Councillor Anthony Aitken said it saddened him to read about the “demise” of Market Square. Picture: Mark Wilson

The plan outlines three options for the precinct, which covers the entire area bordered by Ryrie, Yarra, Moorabool and Malop Streets, not just Market Square Shopping Centre.

Councillor Anthony Aitken voted against the plan, arguing a masterplan was the “wrong” approach.

Mr Aitken said that the area instead needed an activation plan, rather than urban designers coming up with a new plan “every 30 years”.

“It saddens me to read every day, about the demise of that shopping centre, with no intention of changing what’s happening,” he said.

Mr Aitken said he had “no confidence” the masterplan would change anything, and that council should be looking at “every regulatory opportunity” to put pressure on the owners.

“We should be inviting (Davinski Nominees Pty Ltd) to Geelong and talk to them about how they need to activate that significant investment that is impacting the health and wellbeing of what is essentially the heart of Geelong,” he said.

“It is hurting Geelong, it is hurting investment… we have to look at our regulatory responsibilities,” he said, adding council should consider a special rates and charges scheme to encourage the owners “to do what Geelong wants”.

Councillor Belinda Moloney said the Department of Transport had “a lot to answer for” and that it was “unfair to point the stick at the owners” alone.

“There’s an elephant in the room, and that is the elephant that is brought in by the transportation element,” she said.

“I’ve been witness to multitudes of events to say the least, unsightly and awful ones… people feel scared to go (into the area).”

However, Ms Moloney said council should “put the carrot, rather than the stick, towards the central Geelong uplifting”.

“Instead of increasing rates and charges, perhaps we could incentivise businesses… incentivise people to get out and about,” she said.

The draft masterplan will be open for public comment for a minimum of six weeks.

Originally published as Geelong council endorse draft Market Square masterplan, divided on how to activate city centre