A CONTROVERSIAL Soldiers Hill garage’s future will be decided at tonight’s Ballarat City Council meeting.Council officers have recommended the garage remain, but with significant appearance changes and an extended time frame for them to be done.These include replacing its roller doors with timber panel lift doors and adding weatherboard cladding, an overhang and decorative roof vent, barge roll flashings and returned gutters to its front facade.It must also be used only for domestic purposes after nearby residents expressed concern it could become an industrial shed in the future.The garage, located on the corner of Macarthur and Neill streets, first came before council at its September 28 meeting after its owners sought a retrospective planning permit.It was built after a council officer, who inspected the plans, told the owners it did not need a planning permit.However, seven local residents have lodged objections on heritage, size and property value grounds.Council’s development and infrastructure director Eric Braslis has also said council could face legal action over the application.Councillors discussed the shed’s future during a closed adjournment at the September 28 meeting before postponing any decision so a mediation meeting could be held between the applicant, six objectors, council officers and councillors Craig Fletcher, Mark Harris and Des Hudson.However, no agreement was reached at this meeting, with objectors insisting they want council to enforce the relevant regulations.But in a report to council, statutory planner Leah Clark said the garage, including the proposed facade works, would not have “an injurious effect on the established heritage character of the area”.Follow @FionaGran