[+] Games Bonanza for Regional Victoria But Sprint to Finish Looms

“There’s not a lot of time to get it done.” Greater Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan is right. The next Commonwealth Games is scheduled for March, 2026, to be shared between five regions in Victoria, and an opening ceremony in Melbourne. And developers could be in line for a slice of the pie with demand for housing and short-stay accommodation predicted to skyrocket across regional Victoria. The concept for a regional Games began in 2017, according to City of Greater Shepparton mayor Shane Sali. “The idea centred around inclusiveness and ensuring that the Games, for once, was not just about the metropolitan cities,” Sali says. “The concept was to give everyone a fair go and it was agreed that the Games should leave a legacy across the state.” This has led to a flurry of planning for new and upgraded buildings across the regions ahead of the Games, with the five cities drawing up a wishlist. And the clock is ticking. “It’s like 34, 32 months?” Greater Geelong mayor Sullivan says. ▲ Geelong will host the BMX events during the 2026 Games. Getting it right is important. The Games is predicted to bring in more than $3 billion to the Victorian economy and create more than 7500 jobs before, during and beyond. It also provides an opportunity to deliver much-needed upgrades to infrastructure and facilities. “Our goal is a long-term legacy across our housing, sporting and transport infrastructure, as well as a strong cultural legacy, increased social inclusivity and a boost for our visitor economy,” City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson says. And the opportunties for private developers to be involved are very real. As workers come to the regions to build projects and as infrastructure is upgraded, demand for services, housing and more temporary accommodation will ramp up. “We are about 1000 beds short in our offering,” Sullivan says. “So we are very welcoming of investment in the development of short-stay accommodation in our region.” Once the Games do begin there will be athletes, support staff, volunteers and spectators flocking to the venues, and they will need accommodation and services too. “There is the opportunity to have buildings and attractions that can host people in small, sustainable ways,” Sullivan says. “There will be the legacy demand post the Games as well. “So we can build for the teams, when they come for a few months prior to the Games and they train, they stay in the region for a while—and then it can transition for visitors, friends, families, and coaches.” ▲ The former Ballarat Saleyards site where the athletes village will be built. Latrobe City mayor Kellie O’Callaghan agrees. “There is definitely a significant demand for housing across the municipality and pressure to bring housing to market,” Callaghan says. “Our projections for housing needs are strong across each of the major townships, “We have excellent civic infrastructure including arts and leisure offerings and we are blessed with significant open space so the lifestyle prospects are attractive to prospective residents.” So what is being built and when? Development Victoria is in charge of building four athletes villages, several facilities and upgrading and developing other necessary infrastructure ahead of the Games. A community survey was undertaken in late 2022 and a village masterplan is due out in the next few months. Detailed designs for the villages are expected in early to mid-2023 with village civil works scheduled to occur from mid-2023 to mid-2024. Actual construction of the villages is set out for late 2023 to mid-2025 in time for the Games, which run from March 17-29, 2026. After the Games until early 2027, time has been set aside for legacy work on the villages to transform them into social and affordable housing. “Social and affordable housing is the goal,” Sullivan says. “What it looks like or any percentages [of what will be social or affordable] hasn't been defined yet.” That is because the masterplan is still being created. It has meant that while some of the projects are known, such as the athletes’ villages, others are not yet confirmed. ▲ The athletes village for the Gold Coast Games was successful converted into a residential developer, The Smith Collective. Investments for some projects have been announced while others are undisclosed. Across the venues accessibility has been a big winner with much needed improvements to facilities and transport infrastructure. In October 2022, the Victorian government promised the City of Ballarat $150 million to upgrade the Eureka Stadium, adding 5000 permanent seats and 18,000 temporary seats, and improving accessibility. It also confirmed another $50 million will be given to upgrade the Ballarat Train Station to make it universally accessible with passenger lifts and a pedestrian overpass. Details have not yet been confirmed for a permanent athletics facility on the Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society site next to the stadium and for the village at the former LaTrobe Street Saleyards site. “We expect the Games will provide an invaluable boost to Ballarat that will span generations,” Hudson says. Morwell, within the City of LaTrobe, will also get a 1000-bed athletes village on a site at 10 English Street. The municipality will undertake other projects including the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium for badminton events, the Ted Summerton Recreation Reserve for women’s Big Bash Cricket and the Gippsland Sport and Entertainment Park for the rugby sevens and a long-term home for regional football. “The details of these are not yet finalised however some will require significant investment,” O’Callaghan says. “While the planning work for infrastructure is under way the council is also working on key programs of work around the cultural program and festivities which will accompany the sporting program as well as looking at support for local businesses for maximising the opportunity presented by the event.” Bendigo’s athletes village will be the former LaTrobe University’s residence hall at 2 Osborne Street, Flora Hill. With a population of 120,000 that is expected to reach 200,000 by 2050, Bendigo is also a regional centre concerned with the demand for social and affordable housing. ▲ The site of Morwell's athlete's village in City of Latrobe. The city is hoping to refurbish regional swimming pools, construct off-road tracks and trails, create a Bendigo low-line safe transport corridor alongside the creek and create sfacilities at the Bendigo showgrounds such as a table tennis forecourt that can become an exhibition space. The wishlist also includes upgrading passenger train access to the Bendigo Showgrounds and increase the frequency of the Bendigo-Melbourne, Bendigo-Echuca and Bendigo-Swan Hill train services. Duplication of the Bendigo-Kyneton line will also allow more services to be run. Further details, however, will need to wait until the masterplan is released. Geelong’s 2000-to-3000-person village site will be in Waurn Ponds. Upgrading Stead Park hockey facilities at 190 Princes Highway in Corio is on their list. Also on that list are a swimming facility, weightlifting facility and a purpose-built facility for gymnastics. But again, confirmation will come in the next few months as Development Victoria drafts a masterplan for the villages and announcements are made for funding—and work begins. And, in keeping with the theme, it looks certain to be a sprint to the finish. You are currently experiencing The Urban Developer Plus (TUD+), our premium membership for property professionals. Click here to learn more.

Infrastructure
Marisa Wikramanayake
Thu 19 Jan 23

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