30-34 Geelong Road, Portarlington, VIC

I think this initiative will be a wonderful asset to Portarlington. Not only will there be retail opportunities, but the facility can be used for out-of-town professionals for conferences during the week and then on the weekends by locals and visitors, utilising the restaurant, bar and accommodation.
If the surrounds are landscaped appropriately, there should be the opportunity to hold functions such as weddings in the facility and its gardens.
I have heard the developer present the concept to community on more than one occasion, and completely support this development.

I think this building does not fit into the street cape of Portarlington. The local residents around the site all single storey houses. It will look like a Horror Storey as you come into Town.

How can the council approve of a 3+ storey housing on that side of the street??

I am not against the complex being built but very much against the location at 30 Geelong Rd where they propose to build . This is predominately a residential area the building will be totally inappropriate due to an increase in traffic on what is already a very busy road, noise levels and shade over neighbouring homes

This development will be very good for Portarlington. We need more motel/hotel accommodation. New businesses provide more local employment and more residential accommodation is also needed. The current buildings that this will replace are all an eyesore and are part of the entrance to the town.
I support the development
Hazel I.

I do not support the development at this location. It backs directly onto the Portarlington Recreation Reserve and it should not be used as a private entrance to the reserve. It will also impact on the quiet enjoyment that the locals have at the reserve not only due to it becoming a high use area, it will also have a negative visual impact as it will be out of place. I would be concerned that a multi storey building in that location would set an unwanted precedent for other similar developments in the vicinity.
The developer - who is a local - should have an understanding that multi-storey buildings are more appropriate closer to the town centre, and without impact on the views.

I absolutely support this project. This will provide business opportunities and facilities for a growing Portarlington, particularly in proximity to the new Panorama development; it will provide tourism options for the area and also accommodation opportunities in a town with limited hotel facilities. This additional hotel accommodation fits in with COGG’s broader plan for the region. I do not have an issue with the size or type of structure given there is existing precedence with the approval of the much larger Qudos building.

I honestly feel this development is needed in Portarlington, bringing opportunities for local employment, traineeships etc and for visitors providing further accommodation choices and associated retreat / spa and conference amenities.
I do understand the concerns of some locals (myself being one) in regards to the visual impacts a large modern building may bring to the small town.
All weighed up, I feel the benefits will be of great benefit to the town and community of Portarlington.

I object to the proposed building at 30-34 Geelong Road Portarlington for the following reasons: 1. Its height of five storeys is out of keeping with surrounding residential and commercial / industrial buildings which do not exceed two storeys. In the planning documents used as recently as October by VCAT, Portarlington is categorized as a village, with only its central area designated for buildings over 2 storeys. Even then, buildings of greater bulk than those in that area must satisfy many criteria before being deemed acceptable. 2. Its location on that section of Geelong Road will make an already dangerous situation even worse. It is a very busy section with high volumes to and from Jenkins seafood supplies, the marine boats sales and service centre and people using the service roads and parking spaces to leave cars when they take the bus to Geelong for work or to connect to trains. It is located at a T-junction with Lincoln Drive, which is also intersected by service roads and there are no right turning lanes from the Geelong direction, so traffic to and from the proposed site will add to that congestion. 3. The proposed building overlooks and is immediately adjacent to the Recreation Reserve parklands and environmentally sensitive and conservation declared Point Richards Flora and Fauna Reserve, one of the largest areas of native bushland and ephemeral wetlands on the Bellarine Peninsula. The section of Portarlington westwards from High Street to the edge of the village has as part of its natural vista the north-northwest view across those parklands and wetlands. The bulk of this building would cause a significant interruption to that natural view and create an unacceptable precedent for future construction. 4. This project on this site would expand the retail and hospitality activity of Portarlington village outside the area between High and Brown Streets designated for such activity to occur 5. The declared benefits of the building do not outweigh the above negative impacts, ie: a) that it would provide much needed short term accommodation – no, construction already approved would meet that need. b) more buildings are needed for commercial activity – no, there are already vacant shop and hospitality buildings with more to come on line in already approved construction. c) it would provide more employment – no, much of the employment would be in cleaning services and that need is mostly met already by bringing in work crews from outside Portarlington due to the shortage of people in the area able and willing to do such work; and signs at existing hospitality venues indicate that there is already an inability to fill current employment vacancies
Additional factors to consider are how this construction would fit in with the traffic plans for the village by City of Greater Geelong and the Vic State Government – if there are any? Witness the lack of evident planning guidance for similar contentious developments at the intersection of Geelong and Point Richards Road, and in Brown Street. Will this be another traffic debacle?