Architectural drawings for the development at 203 Wendouree Parade show the plan to build 13 two-bedroom dwellings and a basement car park. 

The development is a combination of two and three-level sections and sits on the corner of Dawsons Avenue.

Dawsons Avenue residents Graham and Ruth Hawley said they were “horrified” to return home from a holiday last week to find an advertisement for the proposal in their letterbox.

The couple has lived in the street for four decades and said they had never been compelled to lodge an objection to the Ballarat City Council before.

“It is extremely concerning,” Ms Hawley said. “...We feel this development would degrade the entire area.” 

Mr Hawley said he had met with nearby residents to discuss the proposal.

“Not one resident who I have spoken to agrees with this development,” he said. 

He said the narrow street already struggled to adequately fit parked cars, particularly when events were held at nearby Lake Wendouree. 

Ms Hawley said while she understood the large block of land could fit more than one dwelling, the development needed to be appropriate. 

“This proposal is just a big slab of buildings,” she said. 

“It is a big block so three to four houses would be suitable, but this is just a complete over-development.” 

She said Wendouree Parade was an iconic drawcard for tourism in Ballarat and the development threatened to irreparably destroy its character.

The dwellings proposed are a mix of 100, 90 and 80-square metres in size.

Nearby Dawsons Avenue resident and retired real estate agent Neville Richards said he was disgusted by the proposal he dubbed the “monster”. 

“I have never seen such an overdevelopment in all my years in the real estate business,” he said. 

Public submissions close on Thursday. 

The Courier contacted Veron Property Trust but a representative could not be reached.

melissa.cunningham@fairfaxmedia.com.au