The Wendouree Station Master Plan has touted a new outdoor area directly to the south of the station, with direct access from the soon-to-be Gregory Street West to the train hub's second platform, which is currently under construction.

A new bus interchange and eventually a multi-storey car park would also be built on the south side of the precinct under the plan, and City of Ballarat would encourage a "range of land uses to ensure activation and passive surveillance of the precinct including new retail, commercial and residential offerings".

City of Ballarat officers have recommended the Wendouree Station Master Plan be adopted by councillors at next week's ordinary meeting.

But the vision for the revitalised station is a long-term plan, with council hoping early initiatives and landscaping would "attract investment", catalysing further redevelopment of the precinct. Stage one of the Wendouree Station proposal would include the creation of the public forecourt and some retail, while stage two suggests building a multi-deck car park at the corner of Gillies Street North and Gregory Street West.

In a report, strategic planning officers state the precinct currently has "poor access and movement for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and public transport users and has poor passive surveillance".

Learmonth Road could also be overhauled into a 'landscaped boulevard' under the plan, in order to provide an attractive gateway into Ballarat CBD from the north.

The council officer's report said the station sits on a site which was "earlier intended for an intermodal freight hub", and land would need to be rezoned from 'industrial' to 'commercial' to make shopping opportunities a reality.

The master plan, created by consultants SJB Urban, states that the reopening of Gregory St is a cornerstone of the precinct's development.

"This could create a direct access for passengers from the Ballarat West Growth Areas and reduce pressure at the intersection of Gregory and Gillies Streets, as well as the existing entry points to the station," the Wendouree Station Master Plan notes.

ALFREDTON CHANGE FROM ABOVE, 2004 TO 2018

In responding to the plans, 94 per cent of the 105 surveyed support the public plaza. Around 99 per cent of people supported the bus interchange, but 89 per cent supported the 'uses and facilities' detailed in the plan.

According to id consultants, the population of the Ballarat West Growth Area, taking in suburbs like Alfredton, Lucas and Cardigan, and is forecast to double by 2036, from 21,135 this year to 45,352.

North Ward councillor Grant Tillett said there was "significant provision" for expansion of car parking at the station under the plan, because the growth necessitated "encouraging people to get on the train to Wendouree" if they work in Ballarat CBD or Melbourne.

"The additional shopping is largely designed to be taken up by the patronage which is expected, due to the increase in population in the general area," he said. "If Ballarat is going to have a population of 200,000 at some stage, it a needs significant extra percentage of commercial premises."