The $20 million, nine-storey block on the historic Sandilands site on Merri Street would be the largest single residential building project the city has seen.

Drawings of the proposal show a modern design, much like many of the smaller apartment blocks shooting up all over Melbourne and other larger regional centres.

There will be three penthouses at the top with 360-degree views and the building will stand at just under 30 metres high, overlooking Lady Bay and the Lake Pertobe precinct.

We’re told that a consortium that includes a western Victorian developer is behind the plan, but it doesn’t really matter who is building it or developing it as long as it gets done.

The proposal has been advertised by the council for two weeks of public comment.

It will then go before the council again for further review before a final decision is made.

There would have to be excellent reasons for opposing a development such as this.

If done properly, and there is no reason to  believe that it won’t be, it will set a new standard for high-quality buildings in Warrnambool, attract attention and mean more people living and staying in the city centre, something that would help with ongoing plans to revitalise the CBD.

The development will also create up to 100 construction jobs and it is worth mentioning that the majority of these jobs should be offered to locals, thus providing a welcome boost to the local economy.

Much like the far less ambitious but no less exciting proposal for Port Fairy’s King George Square, this proposal should be supported by the community, local councillors and in the case of the Port Fairy plan the state government.

We must think of ourselves as a go-ahead community that embraces innovation and change.