The decision on a controversial Grenville Street development has been deferred due to concerns around parking and heritage sight lines.
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City of Ballarat councillors voted on Wednesday night to defer a decision about the five-storey development on the former Plaster Fun House site, after two other motions – one to approve the application and one to reject – failed to garner support.
But developers could now lodge an appeal to VCAT, as council failed to decide the building’s fate within the 60-day statutory timeframe. It took 104 days for the development to reach the council chamber for a decision.
In a report, City of Ballarat officers recommended the development be approved if the street frontage was scaled down to nine metres in height.
It’s a very difficult issue … because it’s come on us right in the middle of a storm about parking.
- Councillor Grant Tillett
But City of Ballarat director of infrastructure and environment Terry Demeo conceded the final proposal still went against the recommendation of the city’s heritage advisor.
The proposed height would impede views of the goldfields from Camp Street, going against the recommendations of UNESCOs Historic Urban Landscape approach, to which Ballarat is a signatory.
The block at 11 Grenville Street North has sat vacant since February 2014 when a fire destroyed the building.
Ballarat Regional Trades and Labour Council secretary Brett Edgington said Trades Hall had plans to build a public viewing platform on the escarpment behind their premises.
“It’s a heritage precinct, and the rules are there to stop a development just like this one taking that view from the community,” Mr Edgington said.
The site is set to house up to 150 employees from the Department of Justice, with the block chosen for its proximity to both the Ballarat Train Station and Ballarat Law Courts.
iPlanning Services director James Iles told the meeting along with Govhub, the development would “put Ballarat back on the map” as western Victoria’s centre for government departments.
A parking dispensation of 58 spots meant the development would only need to provide 20 spaces on-site.
Cr Grant Tillett, who moved the motion to defer a decision, said it was an opportunity to discuss with developer “car parking opportunities” underground on the site or off-premises.
“It’s a very difficult issue … because it’s come on us right in the middle of a storm about parking,” he said.
Mr Iles said having been involved in a number of Ballarat developments, he found it “a little strange” that Grenville Street had received a parking dispensation.
Cr Ben Taylor, who voted against the motion, said he believed the site’s “heritage overlay is questionable”, as it would have protected the razed former building.
“It’s putting us on dangerous footing how we’re perceived,” he said. “One minute we want development … on the other hand we’re not going to actually do it.”
