Feasibility study to be commissioned for multi-level car park at Federation University SMB campus

Almost four years after they were first promised, Ballarat is still without many of the 1000 new free car parks announced by the state government in 2018, but a newly-commissioned feasibility study has revealed some details of the plans.

The City of Ballarat has requested quotes for a feasibility study to look into the possibility of a six-storey, 300-space car park at Federation University's SMB campus.

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The multi-level car park would be part of the 1000 new car parks promised by the incumbent state government during the 2018 state election campaign, with the implementation of the initiative led by Regional Development Victoria while the City of Ballarat has been commissioned to deliver the project.

According to the brief for the feasibility study, the car park is proposed to be free to use for the first eight years it is in operation, but after that 'it is envisaged that parking usage will be charged at a market rate'.

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The document also indicates it might not be free for all-day parking, with various time limits also a possibility.

"Models to be considered include 100 per cent free parking, how time limits could impact utilisation, the ability to implement graduated payments (i.e., free first two hours and then a payment for every hour thereafter, etc.) and a variety of other scenarios," the brief says.

When announcing the 1000 new car parks in 2018, and in response to council's now fulfilled plan to introduce paid parking in the CBD, Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the car parks would be free.

"If the council was left to do it themselves, then rates would have to go up ... or they'd have to charge for those car parks, and we don't think that's fair," he said.

"[If you] suddenly pay for parking that used to be free when you struggle to find a park, because there hasn't been enough investment, that's no good at all."

The concept of the parking structure would include a ground level TAFE bakery, with 300 parking spaces to be installed over five floors, including a rooftop.

The state government released a shortlist of four locations to build the remaining 900 new car parks in July 2021, with the proposed Armstrong Street South location included on the list.

Other locations earmarked for new multi-storey car parks were Ballarat Base Hospital, Little Bridge Street, and Anderson Street West while 100 of the car parks have already been confirmed to be split between White Flat Oval, Eastern Oval and the Ballarat Library at Market Street.

A map released by RDV explaining the parking concept only lists select dates, with Market Street, Eastern Oval and White Flat Oval all projected for completion this year.

Meanwhile, estimated dates are either vague or non-existent for the multi-storey car parks. No dates are listed for Ballarat Base Hospital, SMB or Anderson Street West, while the Little Bridge Street shopping centre spaces are listed with 'expected completion post-2023'.

According to the timeline on the Regional Development Victoria website, decisions on the locations of the multi-storey car parks would be announced in 'early 2022'.

According to Engage Victoria, almost 73 per cent of respondents to an August 2021 survey were in favour of a multi-storey car park at the Federation University SMB campus.

The feasibility study would look into how to get the highest number of parking spaces, the costs of building the car park and future management of the car park.

The feasibility study is hoped to be completed by May 10 with a consultant appointed by February 17.

The nominated area for the car park takes up the existing visitor permit parking area, along with a portion of Building X.

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The land would be allocated to Regional Development Victoria at no cost and with no ongoing land-related charges, while Federation University 'will be seeking an operating model that appropriately recovers operating and asset maintenance costs', according to the brief.

Construction costs would also be funded by Regional Development Victoria with possible additional funding from Federation University for the commercial aspects of the car park.

The multi-storey car park was included in Federation University's recently released campus vision.

The Courier asked the state government a series of questions regarding the future of the proposed SMB car park and other multi-storey car parks, including whether they would be paid and the reasons behind those decisions.

In response, a statement from Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said: "The government is on track to deliver 1000 new free car spaces across Ballarat by late 2023. Feasibility works on a multi-level car park with up to 300 additional free spaces at Federation University's SMB campus are under way after the site received majority support from recent community engagement."

However, the statement did not confirm or deny whether the car park would be free or paid, but said the feasibility study would 'cover a range of options for the future operation of the car park'.

While the brief says the City of Ballarat will deliver the project and be included in the project control group, council declined to comment as it deemed the matter a state government issue.