CGW Masterplan Review Final Sept11.indd - City of Greater Geelong

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customs plaza
This rectangular plaza lies on the southern side of Eastern Beach Road and
is bordered by hospitality businesses on its remaining three boundaries. The
central grass plane is bounded on its western side by a bluestone edged
water rill and broad timber decking and to the east a compacted gravel
surface that would benefi t from upgrading to a timber or paved surface.
Informal native tree plantings fl ank these sides. The southern edge of the
plaza is a paved forecourt at the rear of the Customs House building. In the
south-western corner an elegant staircase connects the plaza to Brougham
Street and the central city.
The existing form of the plaza, although strong, does not take full advantage
of the architecturally elegant Customs House or the staircase to Brougham
Street. Customs House recedes in the picture when viewed from Eastern
Beach Road and the stairs are concealed behind the dense plantation of
trees. Lowering and levelling the grassed ground plane would help address
the former problem while pruning up the lower branches of the trees would
open the view to the stairs. Events such as music concerts on summer
evenings would be ideally suited to Customs Plaza and relatively simple
modifi cations to the landscape would increase its suitability as a performance
and gathering space.
The 1996 Code identifi ed two further development sites between the
Sailor's Rest building and the Brougham Street stairs. Sensitively designed
and scaled buildings here could help further activate the plaza without
compromising its landscape qualities.
J. Custom Plaza
Recommendations
• Any new developments must include on-site screened enclosures for rubbish, recycling and other utilites to ensure they are visually unobtrusive.
Specific actions
• Re-grade, lower and re-sow the grassed plane of the plaza to distinguish it from the forecourt at the rear of Customs House and the perimeter walkway of
the plaza.
• Re-grade and re-sow the grassed plane whether lowered or not.
• Install timber decking or paving along the eastern side of the plaza to the same standard as the western side to improve the appearance and provide an
all-weather surface.
• Investigate development opportunities presented by the site/s on the western side (at the rear of Sailor's Rest) for their potential to further activate the
plaza and Moorabool Street.
• If commercial leasing on the western side is not possible, more extensive landscape treatment of the slope should be undertaken.
CENTRAL GEELONG WATERFRONT MASTERPLAN 2011
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Urban Initiatives