Amber Property’s Geelong Approval Sets Record for City

Amber Property Group has won approval for the biggest private project to be granted a permit within the City of Greater Geelong.

The Victorian government has approved the $250-million mixed-use project at 35 Corio Street along Geelong’s waterfront.

The project, Cunningham Place, will comprise a 5000sq m conference facility with a 650-seat auditorium, a 168-key luxury hotel and 60 apartments with views over Corio Bay.

It sits on a 4700sq m site that covers an entire block within Geelong’s city centre and will also have bars, restaurants, a supermarket, and retail and co-working spaces.

A medical centre and gym are also part of the plans.

Changes to the initial plans included a height reduction from 63m to 60m, or 17 storeys.

Grace Church has owned the land since 1993 and will work with Amber Property on the project, taking over the operation of the auditorium and conference facility once construction is completed.

▲ A render of the Cunningham Place precinct.

The Central Geelong Framework Plan estimates that there will be 16,000 inner-city residents in Geelong by 2050.

Construction is due to begin this year and be completed in 2026.

Amber Property will now work with the Geelong council to approve civil drainage works and build a display suite at Eastern Beach Road for the sales campaign to also begin this year.

More than 1500 full-time or full-time equivalent construction jobs are expected to be created each year of the two-year construction period.

Once operational, the precinct is expected to create more than 300 full-time and up to 300 part-time jobs.

This dovetails with the Central Geelong Framework Plan’s goal of 60,000 CBD workers by 2050. 

Amber Property said it intended to use as many Geelong businesses as possible during the project’s construction and delivery.

It already incorporated local firms during the planning stages, including WMK’s Steve Tillinger and Tract Town Planning’s Simon Loader.

McGrath Geelong real estate agent Jim Cross will lead the sales campaign. 

▲ Cunningham Place will be 17 storeys high, boasting waterfront views over Corio Bay for 60 apartments.

Anchor Private Financial Services’ Mark Nicholas arranged funding for the project from several large banks and private funding organisations.

Amber Property Group is known for past projects, including McLaren and Co Fitzroy, The Motley Hotel at Richmond and the Sebel Hotel at Ringwood, all in Melbourne.

It also has another $120-million, mixed-use project at Abbotsford, under consideration by the City of Yarra Council.

Amber was started by former car dealer Geoff Brady and his daughter, Rachel Brady, along with Jevan Clay in 2016 and has a portfolio of completed, approved and pending projects worth $500 million.