Developer Joseph van Dyk of Ballarat-based Hygge Property has lodged an application for the new project, which comprises 59 apartments and three townhouses to be constructed on the old St Joseph's Primary School block, later used as part of the Loreto College Dawson St campus, which has sat empty in recent times.

Mr van Dyk told The Courier an existing remnant school music hall building will be incorporated into the development, creating a link between the site's past and present.

"A key element of the proposal is the retention and repurposing of the front section of that building into a vibrant new cafe and north-facing courtyard, providing for large, light-filled apartments and town homes," Mr van Dyk said.

The development will feature a mixture of housing types including one, two, and three-bedroom homes in a variety of formats, which Mr van Dyk says will bring a new standard of living to Ballarat Central and add vibrancy and a needed resurgence to the heart of Ballarat.

Hygge Property originally flagged the former warehouse land used for the Nightingale project in nearby Davey Street, and Mr van Dyk is a passionate advocate for the adaptation of land in the CBD to help accommodate residential growth and reduce suburban sprawl.

Mr van Dyk says the new development is on a wide block, and its designs emphasise the existing character of the street at the front, while drawing up higher at the rear.

"We plan three levels at the front, rising through four, five and six at the back, with a basement carpark," he said.

Mr van Dyk says the development will be carbon-neutral in operation and have a minimum seven star Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERs) energy efficiency rating, following the Nightingale lead.

He says Ballarat is the fastest growing regional city in Victoria and with current limited options for accommodation in its central area, the proposal would house approximately 120 new residents while bringing a new standard of living to Ballarat.

"It will provide a significant contribution to well-located housing supply," Mr van Dyk says.

"Ballarat is a perfect European-sized city. It's condensed, you've got everything you need: two hospitals, a couple of universities; you live within an hour of a global city. You've got natural resources; you're an hour from beach, an hour from the Grampians. Some of the most fertile ground in the country. Those are our natural assets.

"We retain a part of the school, and put a small cafe or wine bar or in there. We give that building breathing room, we try and emphasise it.

"Over the road are a couple of beautiful old Art Deco terraces, which used to be Victorian terraces. And our urban design tries to pay homage to the existing character of the street, to what is there."

The development proposal will go to council for community consultation.

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