Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong
Planning Scheme
Prepared for: Coles Group Property Developments Pty Ltd
Instructed by: Norton Rose Fulbright
Site Inspections: Sunday, 20th October 2013
Date of Report: 28th October 2013
STATEMENT TO PLANNING PANELS
VICTORIA BY JASON LEE WALSH, TRAFFIC
ENGINEER
JASON WALSH
B.E. (Civil), B.Sc., V.P.E.L.A.
AMENDMENT C267 TO THE GREATER
GEELONG PLANNING SCHEME
ARMSTRONG CREEK TOWN CENTRE
Evidence Statement
Study Team:
Jason Walsh
B.E. (Civil), B.SC., V.P.E.L.A.
Released By:
Document Status:
Laura Procter
B.A./B.E. (Civil) Hons., Master of Traffic, V.P.E.L.A.
28th October, 2013
Final
COPYRIGHT: The ideas and material contained in this document are the property of Traffix Group (Traffix Group Pty Ltd – ABN 32 100 481 570, Traffix
Survey Pty Ltd – ABN 57 120 461 510, Traffix Design Pty Ltd – ABN 41 060 899 443). Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the
written permission of Traffix Group constitutes an infringement of copyright.
LIMITATION: This report has been prepared on behalf of and for the exclusive use of Traffix Group’s client, and is subject to and issued in connection
with the provisions of the agreement between Traffix Group and its client. Traffix Group accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for or in
respect of any use of or reliance upon this report by any third party.
Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
2
BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
3
COLES SUBMISSION ................................................................................................................................................. 5
4
LOCALITY & EXISTING CONDITIONS ......................................................................................................................... 6
5
PRECINCT STRUCTURE PLAN CONSIDERATIONS ....................................................................................................... 9
5.1
6
RELEVANT DESIGN GUIDELINES CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................................10
6.1
6.2
7
ROAD HIERARCHY AND ENTRIES...................................................................................................................................... 9
PRECINCT ONE .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
PRECINCT TWO ......................................................................................................................................................... 11
CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................................12
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
1
INTRODUCTION
I have been commissioned by Coles Group Property Developments Pty Ltd to review the traffic,
loading and car parking implications of Amendment C267 in the context of Coles land.
In the course of preparing this statement, I have inspected the subject land, reviewed
Amendment C267 documentation, and assessed the traffic, loading and car parking implications
on the Coles land for implementation of the Armstrong Creek Town Centre Precinct Structure
Plan and Amendment C267.
My qualifications and experience to undertake the following assessment are set out in Appendix
A.
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
2
BACKGROUND
The Greater Geelong Planning Scheme Amendment C267 proposes to introduce the Armstrong
Creek Town Centre Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) into the Planning Scheme as an
Incorporated Document, and to facilitate the use and development of the Armstrong Creek
Town Centre Precinct (ACTCP).
The ACTCP is one of seven precincts that make up the Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Area
(ACUGA). The ACTCP is located on the eastern side of the Surf Coast Highway (also known
as Torquay Road and Surf Coast Boulevard) and is centrally located within the ACUGA. The
ACTCP land is approximately 92 hectares in area, bounded by Boundary Road to the north,
Surf Coast Highway to the east, Barwarre Road to the west and Burvilles Road to the south.
Amendment C267 seeks to facilitate the use and development of the ACTCP as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Apply Schedule 5 to the Urban Growth Zone (UGZ5) to support commercial, civic,
residential and recreation use and development of the land;
Revise the Schedule to Mixed Use and Business 1 Zones to manage commercial land
uses;
Apply Schedule 6 to the Development Contributions Plan Overlay to support the
delivery of key infrastructure in the ACTCP;
Apply Schedule 1 to the Parking Overlay to support development of the land;
Remove the application of the Vegetation Protection Overlay Schedule 1 from some
roadsides;
Modify the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) to reflect the sub-regional role of the
Armstrong Creek Town Centre and importance of sustainability outcomes in the
Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Area; and
Incorporate the Armstrong Creek Town Centre Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), Native
Vegetation Precinct Plan (NVPP), Development Contributions Plan (DCP) and the
Small Lot Housing Code Standards for construction of a single Class 1 building and
associated Class 10a buildings on an allotment (authored by the Growth Areas
Authority, December 2012).
The PSP divides the ACTCP into five precincts in accordance with the applied zone provisions
under the UGZ5, including:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Precinct 1 – B1Z Business 1 Zone (Central Core)
Precinct 2 – B2Z Business 2 Zone (Surf Coast Boulevard – Central Core frontage)
Precinct 3 – MUZ Mixed Use Zone (Surf Coast Boulevard)
Precinct 4 – MUZ (Central Mixed Use)
Precinct 5 – MUZ (Residential Mixed Use)
The Precinct Structure Plan is informed by Design Guidelines. The intent of the Guidelines is to
ensure that the physical arrangement of buildings, the public realm and their relationship to
each other, reflect the vision for the development in the PSP.
The Design Guidelines set out Objectives, Standards and Guidelines for each Precinct, that aim
to outline successful outcomes.
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
3
COLES SUBMISSION
The following is a summary of traffic / parking issues raised within the ERM submission,
prepared on behalf of Coles.
Design Guidelines:
•
•
The Design Guidelines, proposed to be incorporated into the Scheme (as an annexure
to the PSP), are overly prescriptive. Coles would prefer the Design Guidelines be
implemented as a reference document in the Scheme or prepared to the ‘satisfaction
of Council’, via a requirement in the relevant zone.
The key issues in the Design Guidelines to be addressed, are as follows:
Car Park Access Points:
The Design Guidelines dictate where car parking access points should be located –
limiting Coles’ flexibility to deliver efficient car park layouts.
Activation of Connector Road A:
The Design Guidelines dictate where loading should occur, limiting the flexibility of
design.
Specific Design Standards:
The following are specific standards contained in the Design Guidelines, which are of
concern to Coles:
Built Form:
•
•
BF1-04 – directs loading through the car park.
BF4-01 – requirement to sleeve smaller format retail around large premises.
Movement and Access:
•
•
MA2-01 – is too prescriptive in how access should be achieved.
MA2-04 – requirement to locate car parking and loading areas behind built form
creates a conflict.
Site Access:
•
•
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Consideration of right turn access into the east-west parking street from Surf Coast
Highway.
Consideration of left-in / left-out accesses to the service lane into Precincts 2 & 3 from
the Surf Coast Highway.
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
4
LOCALITY & EXISTING CONDITIONS
Coles is the owner of approximately 16 hectares of land, known as 500-540 Torquay Road,
Mount Duneed, located in the southwest corner of the ACTCP, with frontages to the Surf Coast
Boulevard and Burvilles Road.
The land is bound by Woolworths land to the north, including in part the future Main Street,
future Connector Road A to the east, Burvilles Road to the south, and Surf Coast Highway to
the west.
The locality of the Coles land and ACTCP is illustrated in Figure 1, whilst Figure 2 shows the
Coles land in the context of the Plan 5 Armstrong Creek Town Centre Concept Plan of the PSP.
ACTCP Land
Subject Land
Reproduced with permission of Melways Publishing Pty Ltd
Figure 1: Locality Map
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
Subject Land
Source: Armstrong Creek Town Centre Precinct Structure Plan March 2013, Plan 5 - page 19
Figure 2: Armstrong Creek Town Centre Concept Plan
The Coles land is contained within Precincts 1 to 4. The Armstrong Creek Town Centre
Concept Plan (at page 19 of the PSP) shows the various proposed land uses within the Town
Centre. The Coles land includes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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The southern part of Precinct 1 (Business 1 Zone – Central Core), including two retail
anchor tenants and car parking. (NB: Main Street is wholly contained within the
Woolworths Land, as is part of the land on the south side of Main Street, on the
western side of High Street.
The southern part of Precinct 2 (Business 2 Zone – Surf Coast Boulevard).
The southern part of Precinct 3 (Mixed Use Zone – Surf Coast Boulevard).
The southern part of Precinct 4 (Mixed Use Zone – Central).
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
Surf Coast Highway is an arterial road linking Geelong to Torquay. Surf Coast Highway
operates as a divided carriageway with two traffic lanes in each direction and sealed shoulders.
Burvilles Road is a local road providing a connection between Surf Coast Highway and
Horseshoe Bend Road. In the vicinity of the subject land, Burvilles Road is a sealed road with
gravel / grass shoulders.
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
5
PRECINCT STRUCTURE PLAN CONSIDERATIONS
Those elements of the PSP that are related to traffic and are of concern to Coles are assessed
as follows.
5.1 Road Hierarchy and Entries
Plan 10 of the PSP ‘Road Hierarchy and Entries’ illustrates the proposed road network
and intersection treatments for the Town Centre. In relation to Surf Coast Boulevard, the
Plan shows four (4) signalised access points to Surf Coast Boulevard, including signals at
Main Street and Burvilles Road. In reference to Plan 5 Armstrong Creek Town Centre
Concept Plan, it seems that service roads are proposed for the remainder of the Town
Centre frontage of the Boulevard, and east-west parking streets are accessed from the
service road, rather than directly from Surf Coast Boulevard.
Parking Street B, is located within the Coles land, and is situated approximately 200
metres to the north of Burvilles Road. I believe that this is sufficient separation to allow
direct access to Parking Street B, restricted to left-in / left-out movements, and right turn
entry from Surf Coast Boulevard, subject to VicRoads approval. This arrangement would
necessitate an effective separation of the service road. The northern section of the
service road would be accessed from Surfcoast Boulevard, immediately south of Main
Street, with departure to the Boulevard immediately north of Parking Street B The
southern section of the service road would be accessed from Surfcoast Boulevard,
immediately south of Parking Street B, and departure to the Boulevard would be from
immediately north of Burvilles Road.
This arrangement would relieve the reliance on the signalised intersections, with motorists
able to use the shadow of the side street signal phase of upstream traffic signals to
facilitate turns to and from Parking Street B.
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
6
RELEVANT DESIGN GUIDELINES CONSIDERATIONS
In relation to traffic and transport issues Coles primary concern is the prescriptive nature of the
Design Guidelines. In this regard, I have undertaken a review and provide commentary on
those parts of the Design Guidelines that could impact on future development of the Coles
Land.
6.1 Precinct One
Plan 21 Precinct One – Concept Plan is definitive in dictating where access and loading
should be provided. The Plan also dictates a strip of retail along the entire length of
Connector Road A.
Strict regulation of this plan presents potential conflicts between loading, pedestrians and
parking, and does not provide any flexibility in how a centre might be developed.
Specifically, for the eastern plot in the Coles land, the designation of loading and parking
in this arrangement necessitates that loading vehicles and customer vehicles utilise the
same access points and loading vehicles travel through the customer car park, and
potentially mix with pedestrians to access the loading area.
Desirably, parking and loading should be separated. This could be achieved by allowing
loading directly from Connector Road A. Allowing such flexibility now does not withdraw
the opportunity for Council to assess loading arrangements at a planning application
stage.
In my experience, strip retail is typically developed to allow a ‘back of house’ area, to
facilitate storage and loading activity. In the Precinct One Concept Plan, the strip retail
will be difficult to design as it effectively has two frontages, one to a car park where
presumably most patrons will be accessing the tenancies, and one to Connector Road A,
which Council wants activated.
In my view, the Concept Plan should be amended to allow greater flexibility for loading
and access. In particular, in relation to the Coles land, access and loading to Connector
Road A should not be prohibited, and similarly I can not see a reason to prohibit access to
car parking from the service street.
Objective
Standard
Commentary
PR1-04
Parking
Street
Be developed as a priority vehicle
access and on-street parking
streets generally in accordance with
Appendix 7, Cross Section 15.
Cross Section 15 illustrates a street type
with a reservation of 28 metres, including
parallel kerbside parking and a single row
of 90 degree centre of road parking.
In my view, the reservation would be better
used to provide angled parking along both
kerbs. This would provide a similar level of
parking, whilst removing the centre of the
road parking and providing for a safer
arrangement.
MA1-06
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To ensure all loading and service
movements
minimise
conflicts
between pedestrians and vehicles.
This seems to be in conflict with the
Concept Plan dictating loading access
from within the car parking area.
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
6.2 Precinct Two
In relation to the Coles land, Plan 22 Precinct Two – Concept Plan illustrates access via a
service road frontage to Surf Coast Boulevard, and access via the north-south service
road running parallel to Surf Coast Boulevard. The plan designates a sole access to /
from the service road. I am of the view that access from the service road need not be
limited to a single access.
Objective
Standard
Commentary
BF2-01
Small
to
medium
format retail
Be setback a maximum of 15
metres from Surf Coast Boulevard
or 5 metres off abutting buildings
and may include limited at-grade
car parking in front of buildings.
Regulation of these standards encourages
parking to the rear of buildings, where
loading is also directed.
Mixing
commercial vehicles and parking /
pedestrian traffic is desirably avoided.
Front the primary building entrance
to the Surf Coast Boulevard or
where applicable Main Street.
In my view, parking is best located in the
front setback or to the side with direct
pedestrian access to the front of the
tenancy. This provides the opportunity to
separate loading and provide it to the rear
of the premises, accessed from the service
street.
Address Surf Coast Boulevard with
built form for a minimum 70% of the
width of the site to avoid large car
parking areas visible from Surf
Coast Boulevard.
MA2-04 Car
parking
areas
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Be provided away from Surf Coast
Boulevard frontage, and generally
located behind built form. Limited
car parking can be provided
fronting Surf Coast Boulevard
within the setback.
A maximum setback of 15 metres
(presuming it is from the service road
boundary) does not allow a standard
parking aisle arrangement with 90 degree
parking on both sides. This would require
the maximum setback to be in the order of
21 metres.
See above.
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
7
CONCLUSIONS
Having visited the site, perused relevant documents, and undertaken an assessment of the traffic
conditions, it is my opinion that:a)
Parking Street B can have direct access to Surf Coast Boulevard, restricted to left-in / leftout, and right turn entry from Surf Coast Boulevard, subject to VicRoads approval.
b)
The Parking Street cross section should include an option that allows deletion of the
centre of road parking, but replaced with 90 degree parking adjacent both kerbs.
c)
The Design Guidelines should be less prescriptive in relation to access and loading
locations for Precinct 1, and less prescriptive in relation to car parking locations for
Precinct 2.
I have made all the inquiries that I believe are desirable and appropriate and there are no matters of
significance which I regard as relevant which, to the best of my knowledge, have been withheld from the
Panel.
JASON WALSH
DIRECTOR
TRAFFIX GROUP
28th October 2013
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Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
Name
Jason Walsh - Director, Traffix Group Pty Ltd
Address
Suite 8, 431 Burke Road
GLEN IRIS
VICTORIA 3146
Qualifications

My educational qualifications and membership of professional associations are as follows:-

Bachelor of Civil Engineering, Monash University

Bachelor of Science, Monash University

Member, Victorian Planning & Environmental Law Association
Experience

I have approximately 18 years experience in Traffic Engineering including,


1995-2000 at Turnbull Fenner (now Traffix Group), including short term placements at the cities of
Bayside and Whittlesea,
2000-2011 at Grogan Richards Pty Ltd (now Cardno),

2011-present at Traffix Group.
Areas of Expertise

Car parking and Traffic.

Traffic advice and assessment of land uses and development proposals to planning authorities,
government agencies, corporations and developers (including major residential, retail, food and
drink, commercial, industrial, institutional and mixed use projects.

Preparation and presentation of evidence before VCAT and Panels.
Expertise to Prepare this Assessment
My experience and expertise over the past 18 years, including involvement with varied forms of
developments, qualifies me to comment on the traffic implications of the proposed Planning Scheme
Amendment.
Instructions
I was retained by Norton Rose Fulbright Australia on behalf of Coles Group Property Developments Pty
Ltd in September 2013 to undertake a traffic engineering assessment and prepare an evidence
statement in relation to Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme.
Amendment C267 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme:
Armstrong Creek Town Centre
Facts, Matters and Assumptions Relied Upon


Greater Geelong Planning Scheme Amendment C267 Exhibition Documents.
Armstrong Creek Town Centre Precinct Structure Plan

Armstrong Creek Town Centre Design Guidelines

Movement and Access Technical Report, dated 10 December 2012, prepared by Cardno.


Council Report.
Submissions.

Site inspection, and

Relevant experience.
Documents Taken into Account
See above.
Identity of Persons Undertaking Work
Jason Walsh as per the evidence statement.
Laura Procter (Senior Traffic Engineer, Traffix Group) assisted with preparation of the evidence
statement.
Summary of Opinions
See Conclusions section of the evidence statement.