A JOINT letter was presented to Ballarat City Council on Wednesday night asking it help protect the former Ballarat Orphanage site.
The letter, which had been presented to Councillor Judy Verlin, was referred to growth and development director Eric Braslis for consideration.
More than 100 people rallied earlier this month to save the Victoria Street site which is to be converted into a housing estate by a private development consortium.
Heritage Victoria last year declined to list the former orphanage on the State Heritage Register, claiming it was of local, not state, significance.
Some of the orphanage buildings date back to the 1860s and the site has also been used by Child and Family Services and Damascus College.
Mayor Mark Harris had previously urged the developers and residents to negotiate an outcome but said council did not have many legislative powers to overrule a planning application based on cultural heritage protection.
