THE FUTURE of a heritage-listed office and weighbridge in the Ballarat Railway Station precinct are in jeopardy with the structures not included or mentioned in the area’s proposed masterplan.
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While the items are heritage listed and believed to be among the last left in the state, fears have been sparked they might be demolished if the plans, unveiled earlier this year, get the go-ahead from either side of politics.
Despite the historical significance of the office, weighbridge and scales, they are in a state of disrepair and have not been mentioned on the masterplan with imagery showing a car park and private building located where they are currently placed.
The Courier understands no decision has been made as to their future and any decision made would need to be approved by Heritage Victoria.
Resident Gerald Jenzen said he believed the plan’s designers had completely failed to take heritage into account.
“The trouble is, people look at this and think it is a pile of rubbish, so it has no importance when it is in that state,” he said.
“It is a railway precinct. Surely you should be keeping bits and pieces with it.”
Mr Jenzen said he hoped any political party would take the project back to a consultation period before agreeing to any aspect of it.
Premier Denis Napthine has visited Ballarat on various occasions to keep the plan up-to-date, with residents seeing it as a key election commitment set to be unveiled in the lead-up to November 28.
VicTrack general manager of property Ben Needham described the masterplan as a “staged and flexible plan that can adapt to changing circumstances”.
“The project team engaged a heritage consultant and consulted heavily with Heritage Victoria during the development of the masterplan,” he said.
“The weighbridge and associated office were identified and are just one of the heritage assets located on the precinct that will need to be carefully considered if the vision for the precinct is to be realised.”
The City of Ballarat’s heritage advisory committee chairwoman, Councillor Samantha McIntosh, said the committee had only seen a broad proposal so far and believed the project would need to come back for consultation to go into specifics.
She said she “absolutely” wanted to see all heritage items incorporated into the proposal.
matthew.dixon@fairfaxmedia.com.au