Green light for $60m, four-storey Geelong West apartment project

A render of the Hope & Autumn development of 56 apartments at 51-53 Hope St and 66-76 Autumn St, Geelong West.

A $60m apartment development in Geelong West has won planning approval through a fast-tracked process.

Up Property received a planning permit on Friday for the four-storey Hope & Autumn project, comprising 56 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two buildings at 51-53 Hope St and 66-76 Autumn St.

The project was submitted through the state government’s Development Facilitation Program, as the town planner steering Hope & Autumn said it won widespread support.

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Tract Consultants senior principal town planner Nick Clements said the medium rise project would make an important contribution to achieve the city’s target to build nearly 130,000 new dwellings by 2051.

“Geelong is crying out for positive examples of in-fill housing,” Mr Clements said.

“We are proud to see the project’s outstanding planning and design merits recognised by the State Government, the Office of the Victorian Government Architect and the City of Greater Geelong.

An aerial render from planning documents shows the apartment buildings on Autumn and Hope St in Geelong West.

“The project’s innovative design, focus on expansive landscaping, environmental credentials and site-responsive design ensured a seamless planning approval process.”

Mr Clements said Up Property is ready to launch into selling dwellings over two stages, with a sales office primed to open on Pakington St.

The success of the sales process would allow Up Property determine the construction timeline for the entire project, he said.

“They’re looking for downsizers, people that have a little bit more money to spend on a more premium product and have gone with a top-end architect,” Mr Clements said.

“This is the first project in Geelong for Austin Maynard Architects, which has a lot of credentials in Melbourne.”

The apartment project is near the Pakington St, Geelong West cafe, restaurant and shopping precinct.

Hope & Autumn will offer apartments tailored for downsizers, families and professionals in a location adjacent to the Pakington St cafe, restaurant and shopping strip and walking distance from Geelong train station.

Austin Maynard Architects managing director Sophie Whittakers said the project was a thoughtful, sustainable and heritage-sensitive design, such as white gabled buildings with setbacks for four-storey elements.

AMA’s approach ensures Hope & Autumn would “harmonise seamlessly with Geelong West’s distinctive character while introducing new standards for context-responsive suburban development,” Ms Whittakers said.

“I was born and raised in Geelong and I’m incredibly proud that Austin Maynard Architects is contributing to a medium-density apartment project of this calibre in the region,” she said.

Tract Consultants senior principal town planner Nick Clements said Geelong had been “crying out” for positive examples of in-fill development. Picture: Brad Fleet

Some residents labelled developer Up Property as “arrogant” in proposing the development, claiming it set a dangerous precedent for the neighbourhood in terms of height and increased traffic and limits on carparking.

But Mr Clements said the development was an example of how established areas can contribute incremental housing growth towards the 2051 target.

“The broader industry is aware that there’s such substantial challenges in getting high density projects off the ground in the CBD, we’re going to have to rely upon these medium density and even smaller density like townhouses to achieve those aspirational housing targets,” he said.

Medium density projects can deliver a higher value apartments.

“If you’re buying into a 40-storey building in the CBD, it doesn’t have the same exclusivity. “Yes, you’ll have the upper levels that have got the beautiful views over the bay, but they don’t have the same amenity that is immediately adjacent to Pakington St.”

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