Bridge Mall plans set for vote

REDEVELOPMENT of Bridge Mall and surrounding land will be put to City of Ballarat councillors at its next meeting on Wednesday.

Key elements of the plans include the reopening of Bridge Mall to traffic, works on the bus interchange on Little Bridge Street, the uncovering of Yarrowee River, redesigning the Bakery Hill roundabout, increased residential buildings across the area and redevelopment of the Big W and Eastwood shopping areas.

“It’s a broad piece of works that we’re looking at,” said City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh. “It’s not the finer detail.

“We are very strong about what that needs to include and that is because the community have been very strong with us as to what they would like to see.”

If approved the elements of the plan would become part of a design competition with architects and urban planners pitching their best ideas.

Expressions of interest for work on the designs have already gone out and if council give the thumbs up, concept drawings are expected in the first quarter of 2020.

The works would be staged, with some things, like improvements to the Little Bridge Street bus stops to begin immediately.

“At the moment there’s a lot of confidence behind the scenes and there’s a lot of work that has been done that’s ready to go pop the minute we have made an official commitment to this space,” Cr McIntosh said.

Other elements, like the land around Big W and Dan Murphy’s turning into a mixed-use retail and residential space could be up to 20 years away and require buy-in from landowners.

Cr McIntosh said significant consultation has been conducted with users of the precinct, along with business and landowners and there was a preference for retaining and returning heritage aspects to the area.

“We know we need to work on infill development and equally we need to protect the heritage and the feeling, personality and the charm of our CBD,” she said. “Whoever would be the successful architect though this design competition would need to be very clear that that they understand our heritage response.”

With external facades along Bridge Mall varied in appearance, Cr McIntosh said there were options to help building owners return shop fronts to looks that were more in line with heritage elements.

“It may be popping verandas back on with cast iron lacework,” she said. “There may be special support programs that come out of that that… may assist and encourage people to put verandas back on.”