49 Newcombe Street
49 Newcombe Street Working Group
The 49 Newcombe Street Working Group (or ‘49ers’ as they have become known) was formed in 2023 and continues to advocate for an appropriate resolution for the development proposal at 49 Newcombe Street.
A general meeting of PCA members informed the PCA objection that was submitted to Council about this development.
At the request of members and other concerned residents, the PCA opposed the proposal as being inappropriate for that location and that it would block views from the street to the bay.
They were successful in having the then Planning Minister (Hon Richard Wynne MP) call the matter in and – on the advice of his expert Ministerial Advisory Committee – subsequently decide that a permit would not be granted.
This remains unfinished business for the PCA, who have lobbied Commonwealth and State governments about the future of the site, which members believe should be returned to coastal parkland or space for public use.
We thank Harwood Andrews for their generous support.
Making a submission on 49 Newcombe Street
Keep in mind that the best way to respond is to write about how the project will impact on you, and to make your points relevant to the current project.
A key date is September 13 - while no decision will be made before September 13, we are taking this as a deadline for submissions.
The Planning Subcommittee suggested the following, best expressed in your own words:
OBJECTION GUIDELINES
The mass of the building on this site: far exceeds the expected construction in Portarlington's centre, in the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme Section 11, the Portarlington Structure Plan and the Bellarine Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) within the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes program. The building occupies almost the whole site widthways and is 3 storeys high at the Newcombe St front, and is too intense for this site.
The link between the town centre and the harbour foreshore: The Greater Geelong Planning Scheme and the Bellarine SPP of the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) list this as sensitive and as an important aspect of Portarlington planning.
View lines to the foreshore: These views, for customers of the Newcombe Street retail and hospitality outlets, are especially highlighted in both the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme and the Bellarine SPP. The project almost obliterates these views and will have a serious detrimental effect on the existing retail establishments on the south side of Newcombe St.
Neighbourhood character: The south side of Newcombe St is a retail and tourist space and the north (seaward) side links the township to the harbour and bay. In their application, the developers cite examples where development has occurred and where concentrated objection has not occurred in the past - these are all on the south side of Newcombe St. Historically, the north side of Newcombe St has never exceeded one storey.
Future traffic congestion in a confined area: The project entry/exit feeds directly into a narrow, divided main road, in between two badly cambered, very busy intersections, and directly adjacent to the kindergarten drop off spot.
This site has been tested previously with two project applications by the same developer:
- A first application (for 13 apartments and 2 shops) was rejected by then Planning Minister Richard Wynne following a report of a Ministerial Advisory Committee in 2021.
- A subsequent similar/slightly amended version was rejected in 2023 by the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) following opposition from the responsible authority (The City of Greater Geelong), and this Community Association. Both rejections were on the basis of mass dominance, and location in relation to the foreshore and height.
There is insufficient difference between these and the current application to warrant overturning of these decisions.
Advice on submissions, received by the PCA:
- it is a waste of time to argue that the Great Design Fast Track Program has been misused in this case. The project has already been judged eligible.
- Point 6 above, re past applications, may not be relevant to the current application, though the reasons for rejection may be useful
Kind regards,
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR SUBMISSION
To ensure your submission or objection is legally valid and formally considered, it must include the following details:
Application Reference: Clearly state the permit application number: PA2604525.
Site Address: 49 Newcombe Street, Portarlington VIC 3223.
Your Details: Your full name, postal address, current contact phone number, and email address.
Your Grounds: Clear reasons for your objection or support, specifically explaining how the proposed development would affect you or the surrounding area.
Signature & Date: The date of your submission and your signature (if mailing a hard copy).
HOW TO MAKE A SUBMISSION
Email your submission to development.assessment@transport.vic.gov.au
Chris Kelly
Secretary - PCA
0438 404 867