After several rounds of community consultation, the Pakington North Urban Design Framework (UDF) has been endorsed by a community panel and will be considered by Council for adoption on 28 May 2024.

The UDF follows the adoption of the Pakington Street Heritage Core and Gordon Avenue UDF in December 2021. Upon adoption next week, Council will proceed to prepare a planning scheme amendment to implement these UDFs into the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme and associated planning controls.

Key takeaways from the updated UDF include:

• Recommended heights have increased or generally remained the same. Height increases are proposed at:
  • The two strategic sites within the precinct (Pakington Strand Shopping Centre and the rail sidings yard). The proposed heights for the Rail Siding Yard tapers from 10 storeys to 4 storeys on land adjoining properties on Waterloo Street. The proposed heights at Pakington Strand range from 8 storeys to 4 storeys.
  • The northern end of the precinct at sites near Church Street, where heights have increased from 4 and 6 storeys to 8 to 10 storeys.
• There is no mention of whether height and setback controls will be mandatory or discretionary.
• The proposed built form controls will be implemented within a new Design and Development Overlay.
• All Commercial 2 Zoned land will be rezoned to become Commercial 1 Zoned land, allowing for residential uses above the ground floor level.
• The UDF sets preferred site coverage ranging from 60 to 80% throughout the precinct.
• The UDF provides guidance for sites that have interfaces with adjoining residential zones, recommending a range of side and rear setbacks.
• Sites on the corners of some side streets are expected to provide private land to widen footpaths.

Despite the positive increases in proposed heights, we question the proposed controls for some sites, such as 67-79 Pakington Street, which has a lower recommended building height than sites to both the north and south. We also question whether the preferred site coverage maximums are appropriate having regard to the commercial context of the area and that the existing built form exceeds the recommended coverage in many locations. This is particularly relevant to expectations of built form outcomes on smaller sites.

In the latest draft land use car parking expectations appear to have taken a step backward, with the objectives/guidelines included within the Pakington Street (Geelong West) and Gordon Avenue UDF encouraging developments to “provide less than the preferred maximum number of car parking spaces where there is a genuine commitment to providing alternate transport options.” A similar objective is missing from the draft Pakington North UDF.

Whilst there are still hurdles to pass, including Council adoption of the UDF next week and the future planning scheme amendment process, it is encouraging to see the UDF reaching this milestone given the overwhelming need to provide more housing and infill development in appropriate locations such as Pakington Street.

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