St Leonards could have a new volunteer CFA station after the state government lodged a planning application with the City of Greater Geelong to build the facility on Murradoc Road.
The ‘emergency services facility’ to be utilised by the Country Fire Authority is expected to cost $3.2 million.
The site at 1060 Murradoc Road is located approximately 1km south-west of the edge of the St Leonards township.
The site is currently vacant of any buildings and does not have a formal vehicular access point.
Planning documents noted the site is an irregular (quadrilateral) shape and is approximately 3500 square metres in area.
Documents say the proposal achieves strong support from relevant state and local policies within the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme. It will allow an improved facility for the St Leonards-Indented Head CFA.
Although the proposal involves a new facility, it is essentially an upgrade of the existing St Leonards-Indented Head CFA Fire Station which is no longer fit-for-purpose.
The strategic location of the site will have minimal impacts on surrounding land, documents stated.
“The proposed development is a volunteer CFA fire station that acts as a base for volunteer firefighters to assemble in response to fire or other emergencies,” documents stated in response to the City for requests for further information.
“It is argued that there is no more appropriate discretionary use within a rural setting than a CFA facility (‘emergency services facility’), especially considering that the existing StLeonards-Indented Head Fire Station has reached the end of its useful life.
“The services and functions that this new facility will provide are critical to ensuring the safety and support of the St Leonards/Indented Head community and others in the region.”
The community can respond to the planning application until March 18.
