Community input sought on old saleyards

CONSULTATION on the Latrobe Street Saleyards Precinct Urban Renewal Project began last week with City of Ballarat Council calling for community comment via an online survey.

Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh said with the continued growth through Lucas, Delacombe and surrounding areas the saleyard vicinity is central Ballarat now.

“With the city’s expansion very similar to what we saw through the goldrush, the stockyards are seen as an incredible strategically-positioned site located next to Victoria Park,” said Ms McIntosh.

The first phase of the consultation process is to understand the community’s vision for the Latrobe Saleyards precinct, identify and consider options for future development and assist in preparing an urban renewal plan.

Businesses and property owners in the area will receive a direct invitation from council to engage in a discussion on future directions.

Ms McIntosh likened the green space of Victoria Park, Lake Wendouree and the Latrobe Street site to Central Park in New York calling it, “A stunning and valuable space.”

There is a potential to bring in a major land use change for the stockyards area that could be residential and educational in nature.

While the preliminary open community consultation is under way, council staff will explore high-level questions and research in the background, to understand opportunity constraints such as the land being prone to flooding and impact of traffic usage through the corridor from the west.

Ms McIntosh said it is going to take a significant amount of time to plan and develop the area with the possibility of years of remediation on the Latrobe Street site.

“None of this is going to happen overnight,” said Ms McIntosh.

“I’d be blown away if we saw the stockyard site developed in the next couple of years”

Ms McIntosh said there has been a lot of discussion, conversation and approaches by a significant number of developers in the lead up to the close of the yards.

“There is absolutely no commitment from us, the council, to any developer or proposal,” she said.

The stockyards site is Crown land and the council is Committee of Management, so there will be a need to work closely with the federal government.

The first round of consultation will remain open until Monday 10 December. Comments can be made by completing the online survey at mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au.