Projects
Greater Geelong: retail analysis

Client:

City of Greater Geelong

Location:

Geelong, Victoria

Sector/s:

Retail

Service/s:

Detailed analysis and policy recommendations guide the development of essential retail services across Greater Geelong.

The population of Greater Geelong has grown significantly, creating demand for new and expanded retail centres across the area.

Residents need access to essential retail services, particularly at a neighbourhood level and within a 20-minute drive of their homes. With the Greater Geelong population expected to continue growing to roughly 350,000 by 2036, the City of Greater Geelong Council needed to review its existing retail strategy.

We conducted a detailed analysis of Geelong’s retail network to help the Council meet future demand for retail services throughout the region.

Our project team consulted with major retailers, developers, centre managers and trade groups in Greater Geelong to understand the current retail situation. We then analysed retail trends, planning policy, land use and population growth in order to make recommendations to guide the development of Greater Geelong’s retail sector through to 2036.

SGS Economics and Planning Greater Geelong Retail Image

Our recommendations

Our recommendations outlined a strategic vision for the future of retail development in the area, including defining the retail hierarchy and providing guidance on:

ways to improve the retail network
the floorspace that each existing and planned centre should accommodate by 2031
the areas in the network that will be underserviced by supermarket, department store and bulky goods floorspace over time, and
Council’s expectations for future development propositions, whether these take the form of town planning permit applications or proposed rezoning/scheme amendments.

Download Retail Strategy