Station southside precinct proposed

OWNERS of the land between Ballarat Station and Mair Street are proposing a major redevelopment of the area.

Nigro Group have commissioned Plus Architecture to design a Station Southside Precinct that would be a community hub with a hotel, shops and eateries, offices, leisure spaces, and childcare.

The designs which aim to provide an accessible pedestrian link between the trains and the CBD and utilise Coffee Palace Lane, are being assessed by the City of Ballarat.

“With such a pivotal site location, we saw this as an opportunity to create a progressive design that is truly tailored for the needs of the growing and increasingly diverse population of Ballarat,” Plus Architecture director Ian Briggs said.

“Referencing heritage, while delivering a 21st-century transport gateway and destination station, the project will act as a gateway to Ballarat; a place that celebrates coming together, encouraging people to visit, stay, and engage with what the city has to offer.”

As part of plans for the 22,000-square-metre site, a five-storey office building would face Mair Street, a seven-storey hotel would be behind it, and some heritage Lydiard Street facades would be restored with businesses inside.

“We’ve created a level link between Mair Street and the southern exit of the station through our site and across, over Coffee Palace Lane” Mr Briggs said.

“Anybody, no matter their ability, can easily move from Mair Street, over the laneway and through to the station.

“It goes through an arcade we’re building through the office building, through a public cafe and foyer, out onto a small piazza space, over a wide pedestrian footpath bridge and into the station precinct.

“If you were in the laneway itself, there’s also a lift that gives you access to that pathway.”

Mr Briggs said the designs are environmentally conscious, including locally sourced materials, solar panels, and high sustainability ratings, and he encourages the community to give feedback.