Empty since 2016, the former Masters building on Learmonth Road could soon be thriving once again, creating dozens of new jobs in Wendouree.
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The 40,000 square-metre site could soon be home to a childcare centre, medical centre, and gym.
The centre will also house a Services Australia call centre, understood to be a replacement for the existing Gillies Street facility.
Staff at the centre began moving into the building in late June, according to Services Australia's general manager Hank Jongen - the existing Centrelink customer service centre on Albert Street in the CBD will remain open.
Works on the exterior facade are already well under way, and if successful, more modifications to the interior will take place.
Planning documents from the building's owner, Home Consortium, submitted to the City of Ballarat, request an amendment to the permit preamble to "facilitate additional uses within the existing centre" - this includes a childcare centre and gym, with signage, adding to the existing approved uses, which are offices and the medical centre.
It indicates a childcare centre could take over 1700 square metres in the southern part of the building, with 122 places for children.
The document notes the proposed childcare centre would also have space for a maximum of 20 staff members looking after children aged up to five-years-old.
A commercial kitchen is also included in the plan, as well as 865.25 square metres of outdoor space.
Home Consortium chief executive David Di Pilla said an operator for the childcare centre was aiming to be operating from early next year.
The proposed 2135 square metre 24-hour gym, on the northern side, will have space for 200 patrons, while another space in the building will house a medical centre, with space for 10 practitioners.
There are also plans for six small "serviced offices", the plans state, and a shop and cafe - Mr Di Pilla said it was offering a "campus-style, high-quality complex".
There will also be a shared back-of-house area with staff car and bicycle parking and end-of-trip shower and changing facilities.
Mr Di Pilla said the company is excited about the site's potential.
"We have submitted a development application with council for the balance of the site, and we look forward to receiving an approval and progressing development to the next stage," he said.
"We think the hyper-convenient nature of our offering, with onground parking, cafe, and high-quality office amenities, built around a medical theme, should provide a vibrant medical and services hub."
He added the company is looking for allied health tenants as well as "traditional office uses".
The planning document recommends allowing the permit as it will "drive employment growth in the area".
The site, which already has dozens of car parks, is close to Wendouree train station and an existing supermarket.
The planning document states the proposed centre will "provide a net community benefit" for "existing and future community", and proposed health facilities and early education centre will be "integrated with the surrounding community through access to transport options and provision of safe and convenient drop-off zones".
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It also states "extensive site analysis and careful consideration of existing and anticipated industrial land uses has determined that amenity problems are a neutral risk for the proposed childcare centre. This is considered to support the overall function of the area and as such is considered to be a compatible land use in this instance".
The site is zoned Commercial 2, which requires a permit for use of the land as a child care centre and "restricted recreation facility", or gym.
"We submit that a restricted recreation facility (gym) and a child care centre are associated commercial uses as they provide opportunities for physical activity and for the caring of the children of local residents and employees," the document states.
"This proposal can service workers and patrons of adjoining commercial spaces including offices, manufacturing and industries, and bulky goods and other retailing."
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