Current Status
Completed
Gazettal date:
This amendment has been approved and was gazetted on 14 Aug 2014.
View the approved amendment documents on the State Government "Amendments Online" website.
Leopold is recognised in the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme as the future location for a sub regional retail activity centre for the Bellarine Peninsula.
The former owners of the Gateway Plaza shopping centre, Lascorp Development (Aust) Pty Ltd sought a rezoning and two planning permits to allow a major expansion of the shopping centre and a new drainage reserve.
The proposal was on public exhibition as part of Amendment C277. Two planning permit applications were also on exhibtion: 994/2012 (shopping centre expansion) and 1116/2013 (2 lot subdivsion for a drainage reserve south of the Bellarine Hwy).
A fact sheet, the amendment & permit documents, plans and technical reports are provided below.
What land is affected?
The amendment applies to four Leopold properties:
• 92-100 Melaluka Road
• 621-639 Bellarine Highway
• 641-659 Bellarine Highway
• 1-89 Hoares Lane (proposed drainage reserve)
What is Amendment C277?
The amendment proposes rezoning of 621-639 Bellarine Hwy from Farming Zone to Commercial 1 Zone and rezoning part of 1-89 Hoares Lane from Farming Zone to Public Park and Recreation Zone for a drainage reserve.
Other amendments to the planning scheme include:
• Increasing the shop floor space limit for 621-639 and 641-659 Bellarine Hwy, Leopold to 30,000 sq metres.
• A new Development Plan Overlay applied to 92-100 Melaluka Road and 621-639 and 641-659 Bellarine Hwy,
• Amending Clause 52.28 to prohibit gaming machines at the centre
What expansion is proposed?
The development proposal under Planning Permit Application 994/2012 involves an expansion of floor space from 7,000 square metres to more than 22,000 square metres. The plans show a second major supermarket, specialty food shops, discount department store, bulky goods and non-food retail outlets.
In addition to the retail floor space, other proposed uses include a gymnasium, offices and expansion of the existing medical centre.
What is proposed for Melaluka Road?
The Leopold Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework require a major focus on creating a ‘community heart’ for Leopold, providing more interesting public spaces for residents to use.
The plans submitted for the Stage 1 expansion include a town plaza at the main entrance to the shopping centre on Melaluka Rd. Shops and cafes arolund the town plaza and facing Melaluka Rd will give a “main street” feel currently lacking in Leopold. This is also the location for a pedestrian crossing of Melaluka Rd to the Leopold Recreation Reserve.
The documents below are the documents that were placed on public exhibition (not the final approved documents).