Our deliberative engagement with the community to develop the Pakington North Urban Design Framework (UDF) has been nominated for a 2024 Planning Institute Australia VIC People's Choice Award.

More than 50 different projects are nominated in the category, with the winner to be announced at the 2024 VIC Celebration of Planning Awards Ceremony on Friday 15 November.

The event celebrates stand-out projects and individuals over the last 12 months. Voting closes on Friday 8 November at 5pm.

Our deliberative engagement for this precinct was the most extensive community engagement process we have ever carried out, lasting three months.

The community panel, led by independent engagement consultancy Capire Consulting, co-designed the UDF for Pakington Street from Church Street to Waratah and Wellington streets.

Panellists, who were selected to ensure a representative sample of the broader community, participated in five in-person sessions to help shape the future of Pako North.

Members had numerous opportunities to give feedback and ask questions including during expert presentations and Q&A sessions with subject matter experts, through the use of online interactive tools and a private Have Your Say page.

They reported that the sessions had been collaborative, constructive and informative, as they had been able to share insights and goals for the area, while also learning about urban planning and design concept.

The community panel made recommendations for the UDF on urban design, development economics, heritage and neighbourhood character, built form, access and mobility, landscaping and open space. A final vote saw majority support for the UDF to progress to Council for consideration, which was adopted.

Tennille Bradley, Executive Director Placemaking

It is an honour to be nominated for a 2024 Planning Institute Australia VIC People's Choice Award.

Pako is a beloved area with a lot of potential, and after years of consultation with the community on the way forward, we carried out this clever and creative deliberative engagement.

This intensive process created a level of trust from the panel members that their feedback was heard and incorporated in the plan.

We thank the community panellists for their enthusiasm and insights to help shape the Pakington North Precinct over several months.

We're now working on a planning scheme amendment to implement both the Pakington North UDF and the Pakington Street and Gordon Avenue UDF into the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme. We expect to exhibit this amendment in 2025.