Peter Mitchell has lost count of the number of times he's seen plans to revitalise Geelong's CBD.
The Ratepayers Geelong president has lived in Victoria's second city since the mid-nineties, and said the inner city has been somewhat lacking.
"That whole time there's been comments [from residents] about how awful the CBD is … and the whole time the council or whoever has had something like a 'revitalise the CBD project'," Mr Mitchell said.
"It's been going on for 25 years, I don't think it's a quick fix."
From the arts precinct with the library's distinctive dome to development along the waterfront and the budding laneway culture along Little Malop street, the CBD has seen improvements over the years.
Developers have well and truly moved in, with signs of construction in many parts of town.
But there are still empty shop fronts, tired-looking streets and a lack of people in the CBD to support businesses, despite some big employers like Worksafe and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).
The push to populate the CBD
A big part of the problem according to most stakeholders, is not enough people actually live in Geelong's CBD.
Just 3,000 people or 1 per cent of greater Geelong's population call the CBD home.
Compare that to 3.5 per cent of Melbourne and 6.9 per cent in Newcastle, a similar-sized city.
Property advisor Nat Anson believes the CBD needs more people living there and not just working in it if it is to become appealing.
"We can't any longer rely on … jobs only," he said.
"A big residential population in the CBD can stimulate things like the night-time economy [and] make it more attractive to visitors and tourists in the region as well as locals."
Enter the draft Central Geelong Framework Plan.
At the end of last year, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) released the document, after years of consultation with stakeholders.
It sets out things like height limits and setbacks for buildings, rules around the shadowing of spaces as well as public works going forward in Geelong, like better pedestrian access and transport links.
The 30-year overarching plan also wants to grow the CBD population to 10,000 in the next four years, through more residential development.
It was welcomed by the ratepayers association, development groups and the council, but it's been sitting on the desk of the Victorian Planning Minister since December waiting for final approval.
State government holds final approval
Unlike in other regional Victorian cities, the state government oversees most development approvals in the Geelong CBD, not the local council.
Mr Anson said even though some development in Geelong is going forward, many landowners are waiting until the framework is finalised.
"If your [developers] don't understand what your site is capable of or there's a lack of clarity about what your potential for your site is, there's a reticence to invest or to make a commitment to the site," Mr Anson said.
"Providing clear guidance to the development industry [on] what they can do with their individual parcels is really important."
Nick Clements, Chair of the Geelong chapter of the Urban Development Industry Association, said the industry thrived on certainty.
"We wholly support the approval of the document sooner rather than later," he said.
"However, we appreciate that it is a complex one, and it's one that the state government would like to get right."
Mr Clements said it wasn't only private infrastructure, but better public infrastructure such as transport, green spaces and street improvement in the CBD that was being affected as well.
"It is extremely difficult for them to be progressed in the absence of an overarching strategy, such as the central Geelong Framework Plan," he said.
Approval plagued by ministerial musical chairs
The document was with Planning Minister Richard Wynne for six months awaiting approval before he stepped down in June.
This week, the government confirmed minister Lily D'Ambrosio will oversee the final approval rather than the new Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn.
Ms Blandthorn's brother, John-Paul Blandthorn, is a director of the government relations firm Hawker-Britton, and Ms Blandthorn has recused herself from ruling on any projects the business has lobbied on.
Mr Clements believes it's likely Hawker-Britton represented one of the developers who lobbied DELWP over the draft framework plan.
A government spokesperson said there was no statutory time frame associated with the project.
"We are working to deliver a framework that will see the best outcomes for Victoria's second-largest city — when planning for its growth we'll take the time to make sure the decisions we make now provide the best results for Geelong's future," the spokesperson said.
"The reason the framework is delayed is due to the complexity of issues arising from the advisory committee — the process has taken longer than expected."
In June, Premier Daniel Andrews delivered the City of Greater Geelong a spray for taking state government infrastructure grants but not delivering on them.
Peter Mitchell said now that seemed somewhat hypocritical.
"The government has complained about the Geelong City Council not achieving anything and planning lots without actually doing anything," he said.
"And here they are sitting on the plan for 10 months, or whatever it is to get it done."
