City advises of Creswick Road car park closure

THE Creswick Road car park located next to Officeworks is set to close following plans from the landowner to use the site for an upcoming retail development.

Previously operated by the City of Ballarat thoroughly a monthly-lease arrangement, the landowner will be taking back the space from Monday, 15 May.

Mayor Cr Des Hudson said the municipality will work to fill the parking gap for the city’s central business district.

“With the landowner soon taking possession of the site, it is important for the community to be aware that the car park will no longer be available for parking from 13 May,” he said.

“In the meantime, the City of Ballarat will continue to work with Regional Development Victoria to deliver additional car parking in Ballarat’s CBD.”

Opened in late 2019, the site was initially leased by the municipality for a three-year term from January 2018 until December 2020 after which a two-year extension was made which ended late last year.

Following the extension, the municipality kept to its current monthly arrangement to be held until the start of the retail development.

Construction of the $714,000 car park’s 300 spaces was funded through the CBD Car Parking Action Plan with cash allocated by the State Government.

The site was initially developed to replace lost car spots at Civic Hall, with parking previously made free shortly after its opening for a limited period due to underutilisation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic the site was closed to parking while the land was used as a testing clinic.