An historic building on Lyons Street South is set for a revamp, aiming to help vulnerable people in the community.
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The property, at 18-20 Lyons Street South, is currently used as a rooming house for men at risk of homelessness, with 14 rooms across three levels.
A plaque on the exterior notes it has operated as a boarding house since the 1880s, and was bought by the then-Ministry of Housing in 1985 "to ensure a continuity of use for the residents of Ballarat".
Documents submitted to council for a planning application notes the residential building is listed on the National Trust as a heritage building of regional significance, and the applicant, the Department of Health and Human Services, is aiming to demolish the interiors and build a new extension behind the existing building.
The 14 bedrooms currently share two kitchens and four bathrooms, but the application documents state the rooms would be remodelled so each has its own kitchenette and ensuite.
The extension would house extra rooms, so the total number would remain 14, while there would be larger communal areas on the ground floor as well as a shared laundry.
A new roof would also be installed, and trees out the front, on Lyons Street, would be replaced.
"The residential building is to continue to be managed by DHHS in the same way as the existing rooming house, to provide accommodation for men who might otherwise be homeless," the document states.
"The works will greatly improve the on-site amenity for current and future occupants."
Consultants JLP Melbourne concluded the plan was consistent with heritage guidelines.
"The proposal is a well-considered outcome for the site and surrounding area," they wrote.
"The proposed rear addition and alterations to the heritage residential building will improve the internal amenity and appearance of the existing conditions whilst respecting the neighbourhood character and heritage value of the area."
The report notes the upgrade is part of a state government project to improve the quality and safety of rooming houses in Victoria for residents, which was launched in 2017 involving rooming houses in Carlton, South Melbourne and Ballarat.
DHHS was contacted for comment but unable to reply before deadline.
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