OBJECTORS have vowed to continue their fight against a planned upgrade of the Commonwealth Bank building in central Ballarat.
The move comes after Ballarat City Council this week approved plans by the CBA to spend $550,000 upgrading the facade of the branch at the corner of Sturt and Lydiard streets.
Citizens for Thoughtful Development spokeswoman Anne Beggs-Sunter said the group would consider lodging an appeal with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal at a meeting tonight.
"We're certainly looking at our options for further action and we're going to have a meeting tomorrow evening to discuss those options and an appeal to VCAT is certainly one of them," Ms Beggs-Sunter said.
"I think it's a terrible decision for Ballarat. The facade that's been approved is no better than what's there from my point of view.
"This was an opportunity to get the bank to do something that really would improve that corner and enhance the heritage of Ballarat and it's been missed."
But Ballarat Mayor David Vendy maintains the project is the best outcome for Ballarat and said it was supported by the city's heritage officer Vicki Johnson.
"We've been working on this for probably 18 months and I'm convinced that this is the best outcome that we can get," he said.
Objector Mark Wakeling said it was up to the community to rally for a better outcome.
But Cr Vendy said they would be on their own in terms of funding.
"Councillors are not going to invest money in a private building, the State Government won't do it and the Federal Government won't do it," he said.
CBA spokesman Bryan Fitzgerald said the bank was pleased with the outcome and ruled out the possibility of negotiating an alternative deal with the community.
"We worked closely with the City of Ballarat in the preparation of a design that would be acceptable to many of the residents of Ballarat so we are pleased that the city has chosen to approve the application," he said.
"We'll be proceeding with the development application."
Commonwealth Bank objectors to fight on
