Left: Tony De Domenico, Executive Director, UDIA (VIC);
Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong, Cr. Darryn Lyons and
Chair of the Geelong Region Chapter of the UDIA, Kirsten Kilpatrick in Geelong.

Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong, Cr. Darryn Lyons talks about smart sustainable development.

The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) Victoria today said the Geelong region is one of the most attractive regional areas in Victoria for green field development and re-development given its location to Melbourne, access to land, education and growing city infrastructure.

Tony De Domenico, Executive Director, UDIA (VIC) said, "The latest UDIA BIS Shrapnel Quarterly Property Market Overview (March 2014) reveals growth in new house approval activity over the calendar year 2013 was strongest in Geelong (+11%), which was also the only regional area to improve its total house approvals over the calendar year 2012."

Mr. De Domenico said to support and promote the potential within the Geelong region and the importance of boosting confidence in Geelong and its economic future, the UDIA has moved its May Industry Lunch to Geelong which will be addressed by the Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong, Cr. Darryn Lyons and he will be joined Cr. Michelle Heagney who holds the Council's planning and central Geelong portfolios.

"Cr. Darryn Lyons, Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong elected in 2013, is an experienced business leader and developer and his strategic vision related to the development potential in the Geelong and surrounding region will provide a valuable briefing for the development industry."

Mr. De Domenico said as an industry we have confidence in the City of Geelong and the region becoming one of the major economic engines of the Victorian economy as it transitions from older industries to new industries and takes a lead in lifestyle living being driven by tourism assets and an increasing number of people looking for a sea change or tree change within an hour of Melbourne.

In the last twelve months, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, Geelong has had the largest population growth of Victoria's regional cities with 5800 people moving to the city.

Mr. De Domenico said, "In Victoria the development industry directly employs around 310,000 full time employees, contributes around 12 per cent of the state's gross domestic product and contributes $4.6 billion in taxes to all tiers of government."

Chair of the Geelong Region Chapter of the UDIA, Kirsten Kilpatrick from Tract Consultants Pty Ltd said, the UDIA Industry Lunch on Friday 9 May 2014 will be a good opportunity to strengthen the strong connections with

 the City of Greater Geelong and groups such as the Committee for Geelong, the G21 Regional Alliance and the Geelong Chamber of Commerce.

"With major developments such as Armstrong Creek and many others representing thousands of new homes and creating employment, not only at the construction phase but also in the demand for white goods and services, it is important to strategically encourage development to maintain and increase employment levels in all areas of the local economy," Ms. Kilpatrick said.

UDIA Industry Lunch
12.30pm - 3.00pm Friday 9 May 2014
The Pier Geelong, 10 Western Beach, Foreshore Road, Geelong.

Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications, UDIA Victoria - Mobile: 0417 329 201