In a potential set-back for the visionary Bakery Hill precinct renewal, only one of two council-owned car parks earmarked for sale and urban redevelopment will proceed for the time being.
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The two car parks had been identified as sites which could be successfully leveraged into something more ambitious - vibrant mixed-use or housing redevelopment that revitalises the precinct and, in so doing, acts as a catalyst for the substantial private investment needed to realise council's vision of urban renewal for the area.
But the motion to sell the two car parks, located at 5 Peel Street South and 28-32 Peel Street North, was defeated seven votes to two at an ordinary council meeting on Wednesday amid concern it was premature and could occasion a shortfall of parking.
Only one site - 5 Peel Street South - will become available for purchase, resulting in the loss of nearly 50 car spaces in the process.
Central ward councillor Belinda Coates, who spoke in favour of selling both car parks, said council had "nothing to lose" in commencing the sale process for each site, given council reserved the right not to proceed with the sale in the event a suitable purchaser wasn't found.
"Part of the challenge with [the Bakery Hill precinct] is it's quite empty," she said, adding that trading asphalt for diverse inner-city housing or redevelopment was the "one thing more than anything that would activate the space, creating vibrancy in and around the CBD".
"A small number of car parks in such a prime location is a very poor use of centrally located land.
"We have potentially a lot to gain if we do get some really good and interesting submissions [through the procurement process] around housing, diversity, environmental sustainability - things that actually enliven a city."
It was a sentiment shared by City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney, who said a decision not to at least explore the potential sale of both sites would run contrary to council's stated stance on increasing infill development, particularly in the inner-city, and unlocking more diverse housing options for residents.
"We're coming out of the process of adopting the Bakery Hill master plan which talks about these other sites in terms of creating commercialisation, creating housing," he said.
"I'm concerned at the messages we send to the market if at every opportunity to improve infill housing - especially sustainable and social housing - we back off."
But south ward councillor Ben Taylor said the mixed message sent to the market should council resolve to sell both sites but then reject all redevelopment proposals could be equally damaging.
"Why would we go to the market to say one thing and then bring it back in a different position," he asked. "I don't think it's fair to the market to do that."
Cr Taylor added that, unlike the site located at 28-32 Peel Street North, the car park at 5 Peel Street South had long been identified as a site for potential redevelopment.
"We haven't actually done the consultation [for 28-32 Peel Street North] to go to the market, getting investors or getting developers to come up with an option," he said, noting also the community concern around parking availability as the city rebounds from the pandemic.
"I think it's better to put a pause on that for now and go full-steam ahead with 5 Peel Street [South].
"Once we [start] the [procurement] process, it's very difficult to wind it back."
Central ward councillor Samantha McIntosh endorsed these views, noting in particular the community concern around lack of car spaces.
"Until we have the other car parks [promised by the Victorian government] delivered, I think it's wise for us to delay," she said.
A motion to commence the procurement process for 5 Peel Street South was unanimously endorsed by councillors following the debate.
The Victorian government committed 1000 free car spaces to Ballarat at the last election four years go and recently identified the sites for these car parks, two of which will be located in the Bakery Hill precinct.
Construction of the two multi-level car parks, however, is not anticipated to be finished until 2024 at the earliest.
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