Ocean Grove Community Association (OGCA) has lodged an objection to a four-storey mixed use development on 79 The Parade, Ocean Grove.
The permit seeks approval for a build of four storeys with a maximum height of 14.5 metres.
Local Planning Policy Framework (LPPL) encourages two- and three-storey development along that section of The Parade not four storeys, OGCA said.
“Our objection relates to three areas: height including the number of storeys, the reduced number of parking spaces and we have also suggested Council planning staff should also review the basement parking design,” OGCA president Phil Edwards said.
“Stand in front of the recently completed development at 81 The Parade Ocean and imagine another storey higher than that.
“Further are we opening the door to even greater height requests by developers when 75, 85 and 87 The Parade which are all potential multilevel mixed use sites come along?”
The planning application also seeks approval for 17 fewer car parks than is required, OGCA said.
“Of the seventeen, fourteen are a reduction in the retail parking space, effectively retaining almost all of the number of parking spaces for the residences in the complex while sacrificing fourteen retail visitor parking spaces and relying on the existing public parking,” Mr Edwards said.
The Ocean Grove Urban Design Framework 2014 (OGUDF) identified the pressures on parking spaces already in the town centre and identified that wavering of parking spaces only be considered in exceptional circumstance.
OGCA said it does not believe there are exceptional circumstances for wavering of parking spaces and Council should not grant a waiver.
“In a longer term context what if future developers of 75, 85 and 87 The Parade sought waivers in the order of seventeen parking spaces on each site, this when combined with the proposal for 79 The Parade would be a total waiver of 68 parking spaces in an already identified as under pressure,” Mr Edwards said.
“We are not opposed to the development of The Parade as our town centre continues to grow and change but we are opposed to inappropriate development such as that currently proposed for 79 The Parade.”
A copy of the OGCA Objection is available at ogca.com.au/documents under ‘objections’.
Objections can be lodged by 2 March at Greater Geelong Planning Applications.
The developers, Planning and Property Partners Pty Ltd, were contacted for comment, but had not responded by the time the Voice went to print.
