Heritage experts, former residents and the City of Ballarat mayor have all expressed concern at the state of the Ballarat Orphanage site which has been in disrepair following works in 2016.
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The site was most recently used as the Damascus College junior school before being purchased by Victoria Street Developments Pty Ltd in 2011.
After ongoing discussions with council, development of the 5.2-hectare site was given the go-ahead in 2015, however a number of elements of the site including the former schoolhouse, the toddlers' block and a wall on Stawell Street were given heritage protection.
While demolition works were undertaken in January 2016, the site has since sat vacant. Former orphanage resident Deborah Findlay said she was disappointed the buildings had been left in a state of disrepair given their heritage overlay.
“(The developers) knew from day one the history and significance of the site, and I’m angry at them and the council for allowing it to look derelict,” Ms Findlay said.
Developers had originally proposed to build 90 medium density houses as well as a shopping complex and a medical centre.
Speaking to The Courier in 2015 developer Gerard Cosgrave said the proposed development could not go ahead if parts of the site, including the house and wall, were protected in full. Mr Cosgrave has since left the development group.
Ballarat historian Anne Beggs-Sunter described the state of the buildings as “demolition by neglect” and said their deteriorating condition impacted all of Ballarat.
“Victoria Street is the prime entrance to the city so we don’t want eyesores,” Ms Beggs-Sunter said. “The council work so hard on the beautification of the gardens on the street but when you see the state of the orphanage it’s depressing.”
In a statement City of Ballarat’s acting director of development and planning Angelique Lush said the heritage overlay only came into play if the owners applied to develop the site. She said “council officers have met, and will continue to meet, with the owners’ representatives who are working through the requirements of the Development Plan Overlay to enable an application to be lodged with council”.
Mayor Samantha Mclntosh also expressed her concern, saying “the concept of ‘demolition by neglect’ of our heritage assets, whether in private or public hands, is not one that is acceptable on any level”.
Victoria Street Developments Pty Ltd director Brett Foote said the company remained in ongoing dialogue with council around the development, but declined to say if works would proceed or if the heritage-listed buildings would be repaired.