The 4000 square metre Creswick Road Showrooms will house furniture, bedding and homewares retailers, agents CBRE Melbourne said.

The site at 118-122 Creswick Road, which housed a fuel depot and service station, has been vacant for more than 10 years. The site will have to be capped as part of the development. 

Agent Tom Perkins said the centre would target national retailers.

Developers are waiting on planning permits lodged with City of Ballarat to begin construction, Mr Perkins said. The centre is expected to be completed within the first half of next year. 

The plan includes 90 carparks and space for four tenants, with 2000 square metres available to the largest tennant. The site sits beside Officeworks.

A neighbouring site – the old Courier building – was redeveloped last year. The revamped office space has been tipped to rejuvenate the fringes of Ballarat CBD with high grade office space for one or four tenants, realtors Colliers Intentional told The Courier last year.

Plans are yet to be released for a big box retail centre at the old Masters site on Learmonth Road. Home Consortium, which will redevelop several of the failed hardware chains sites, will redevelop the site as a homemaker and lifestyle centre.

A consortium spokesperson quashed rumours an Ikea would be opened at the site.