Council has voted not to give in principle support for the development of a Kaufland store in Highton, expressing concern with the choice of location, potential traffic impacts and impact on neighbouring residents.
The proposed store would be built at 140-156 Colac Road, on the northern side of Colac Road and west of South Valley Road.
It would include a large supermarket, bottle shop and mall area housing other specialty shops. The plans also include a total of 436 car spaces.
For the development to go ahead, Kaufland will need a planning scheme amendment to be approved by the state Minister for Planning.
A Kaufland Stores in Victoria Advisory Committee appointed by the Minister will consider public submissions on the proposal.
City of Greater Geelong staff will present a submission to the committee reflecting the council's position, including:
- Concerns about vehicle access from Colac and South Valley Roads, the potential impact on traffic, and the need to discuss this further with Regional Roads Victoria and council officers;
- Concerns with the choice of site, including impact on neighbours;
- The need for the flood prone nature of the site to be properly considered and addressed;
- Suggested changes to the urban design and layout of the store, including reducing the extent of 'cut' into the slope and moving the building closer to Colac Road; and
- The need for landscaping of the car parking area, including stormwater treatment, canopy cover and other Environmentally Sustainable Design principles.
Councillors did note that the store would create 80-100 ongoing local jobs and provide more choice for consumers if it went ahead.
The City of Greater Geelong has no authority over the final decision.
Councillor Trent Sullivan, Chair, Planning portfolio
As chair of the Planning portfolio, I hold concerns about the proposed site for the Kaufland store.While I'm in favour of bringing greater consumer choice and employment opportunities to Geelong, there needs to be serious consideration about the suitability of the location and lack of community consultation.
Councillor Ron Nelson - Kardinia ward
I welcome Kaufland to Geelong. I support the development and the possibility of attracting more competition to the region.However, as a resident of the area I am concerned about the proposed site location, lack of community and council consultation and potential impacts on neighbouring properties, traffic and access.
Ultimately the decision rests with the state government but I hope the community's concerns are considered.
