A petition has been launched against the proposed new site of the Ballarat Showgrounds in Mount Rowan.
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At the time of writing there were 134 people with their names on the petition, which is addressed to Ballarat's federal representative Catherine King.
Meanwhile a spokesperson for Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society (BAPS), which runs the Ballarat Show and is pushing for the new site, say they hope mediation will resolve concerns.
The petition says the new showgrounds would regularly cause "severe congestion and noise pollution along this quiet and small country road, and that the location would "cause traffic issues on connecting highways."
"Every person has the right to live in peace and comfort and the location of these proposed new show ground will strip the current residents of this basic human right," the petition reads.
If the plans - which were advertised on the council's planning website last month - are approved, the existing showgrounds site would move around five kilometres north of their existing location on Creswick Road.
The future location of the showgrounds, based at the current site since 1934 on land that BAPS rents from the City of Ballarat, has been the subject of much speculation for a number of years. At one stage it looked like it was going to transfer to Victoria Park, but resident objections meant that plan never came to fruition.
Last year, BAPS, announced its intention to move the showgrounds to Mount Rowan. The State Government has said it would contribute $5 million to develop the new showgrounds.
Plans for the 16.2 hectare site at Rose Hill Road were put on advertising last month, including details of a new exhibition centre. Under the proposal, an existing equestrian centre at the site operated by Federation University, would remain.
Feedback for the application finished early this month and the planning application is currently listed for mediation. A City of Ballarat spokesperson confirmed that objections had been received and that a mediation meeting would take place this Thursday.
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"If the petition is formally lodged with Council, it will be dealt with as part of the planning permit application process," a statement read.
Michael Daunt, the chairman of the showgrounds development committee, said a meeting would be a chance to address objections.
"I hope that by meeting with the concerned residents we can allay their fears, and produce and design a better facility," he said. "We are mindful of any concerns they have with traffic and noise."
If the planning permit application is approved, Mr Daunt said that the immediate priority would be to develop the existing infrastructure at the site.
Mr Daunt said there would be no large-scale events held at the site - such as the Ballarat Show - until at least 2022.
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