How seven-storey buildings could appear at Bridge Mall

The Bridge Mall planning scheme amendment, "C243ball", is going through another round of public submissions after its first round in May 2023, before being passed through the council.

Among the amendments in the document is an increase to maximum building heights - including a maximum of 24 metres at the Bridge Mall Gateway section off of Grenville Street.

These changes are being sought to "support urban renewal" in the Bridge Mall and Bakery Hill Precinct according to planning documents.

Ballarat Heritage Watch president Stuart Kelly said said he didn't hold out much hope concerns would be addressed.

"I'm not terribly optimistic that public consultation will have very much effect. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't raise our voices and be heard when it comes," he said.

Despite 46 submissions being made, Mr Kelly said he didn't see any changes to the amendments.

"The proposed amendment does away with the current mandatory height limits," he said.

"It's been replaced with preferred heights and preferred simply means there has to be some sort of reason why it should be higher."

Mr Kelly said it could open the door to higher buildings, taking over the Ballarat skyline.

"Although the new plans stepped the buildings back from the mall, so you have a slightly lower height along the Mall and then allow it to step back in a couple of steps up to the seven storeys, it is still interfering or spoiling that view along Sturt Street," he said.

"It dominates the view instead of allowing the view of the heritage buildings."

The framework from May 2023 stated there was a preferred height of three storeys, which is the maximum height of current buildings, and there there was an objective to "rationalise" signage to "reduce visual clutter."

The amendment is required to guide development of the Bridge Mall and Bakery Hill Precinct which, according to planning documents, is "one of the most significant strategic opportunity sites within Ballarat, and redevelopment of the precinct will play a vital role in Ballarat's next wave of growth".

It also stated modernising overlays means the precinct can balance renewal that "preserves the unique history".

Included in the amendment is also an updated statement of significance, a part of a heritage review for the Heritage Overlay amendment.

In the changes to the heritage overlay, some locations will have their grading changed and 42, 46, 48 and 84 Bridge Mall will be changed from "non-contributory" to "contributory", while 86 and 100 Bridge Mall, 7 and 9 Humffray Street South as well as 38 Main Road will also change to "significant".

Others will be downgraded, such as 22, 28 and 33 Bridge Mall and 46 Main Road, which will change from "contributory" to "non-contributory".

The significance of the area - as stated in planning documents - is "the Bridge Mall / Bakery Hill Heritage Precinct is of historical significance as the oldest commercial centre in East Ballarat and one of the oldest in the City of Ballarat, and was developed from the 1850s as a result of gold discoveries in the area".

It is an example of development from the 1850s to the 1950s, including Victorian, Federation, Interwar and a small number of early post-war buildings.

Amendments include the exclusion of 4-6 Peel Street from the Heritage Overlay, remove tree controls to the overlay and remove paint controls.

Another concern from Mr Kelly was a lack of signage guidelines which may lead to blocking off heritage buildings.

"In an area where there is some heritage buildings, you don't see them very much because the shop fronts have been modernised and it's only the upper stories that are heritage, and signage guidelines can prevent signage about the veranda," he said.

Mr Kelly said it wasn't about holding up renewing an area like Bridge Mall but upholding the heritage buildings already there.

"The issues are basically the conflict of scale between the current buildings, two or three storeys against a seven storey building, where a building is effectively double to two-and-a-half times the height of the building next to it," he said.

"The infill doesn't have to be pretend heritage, they can be quite modern but not something that overwhelms or dominates the view."

In August 2023, councillors debated the amendment, with arguments surrounding height and heritage.

After the submissions are made, the amendment will be taken to councillors again who will decide on how to proceed based on the issues raised.

The first stage of the Bridge Mall redevelopment started in July, 2023 after years of planning.

Fully-funded by the City of Ballarat, the $18.6 million redevelopment features a landscaped entry into the mall, a shared streetscape with one-way, low speed vehicle access and a dynamic new play space.

The redevelopment is expected to be completed mid-2024.

Submissions over the planning scheme amendment can be made until Friday, March 1. Documents from the council's website can be found on the MySay page.

In April the report will be presented to the council.