The Bakery Hill and Bridge Mall Precinct Urban Renewal Plan will be up for consideration at the October 30 Ballarat City Council meeting.
Officers have recommended the plan be adopted, with immediate implementation to start.
The plan was prepared to address a recent decline in the precinct’s economic activity and has incorporated the many ideas raised by the community since November 2018. Over 1,200 conversations have taken place during consultation.
The Bakery Hill vision statement reads: “Bakery Hill will be the new destination for Ballarat – a cosy quarter within Ballarat’s grand historic CBD – setting a standard for urban renewal which fully embraces the unique heritage canvas”.
The plan has three key themes that will guide the renewal including:
- To create a thriving economy – Bakery Hill will be a thriving mixed-use hub, the centre of innovative and creative industries, an active and vibrant place during day and night and a sought after place to live
- To support a community which is connected to people, place and local destinations – the Bakery Hill community will be reconnected, with the historical features of the movement network and Yarrowee River rediscovered, street network simplified and beautified and the space will be accessible to all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, public transport users and mobility scooters
- To create a place which is distinctive and has a unique story to tell – the identity of Bakery Hill will be informed by the area’s rich history but will also look forward to the future. Public places will be inviting, streetscapes will be attracted, heritage buildings will be refreshed and new development will be responsive to both history and contemporary needs
Key elements of the plan:
- Opening the Bridge Mall to vehicles and other users as a pedestrian priority shared space
- Creating a parkland along the general alignment of the Yarrowee River between Eastwood Street and Little Bridge Street, including a children’s playground, large programmable space and an exposed section of the Yarrowee River with potential for a stage and viewing area
- Longer-term redevelopment of the Big W site and carpark for medium density residential and mixed use purposes
- Reconstruction of the existing Bakery Hill roundabout to create a more formal and distinctive entry to the CBD and Bakery Hill precinct
- Improving the Grenville Street/Sturt Street intersection
- Long-term redevelopment of the land to the south of Little Bridge Street and east of Peel Street
Council has committed $15 million over the next three years to kick start the short, medium and long term actions identified in the Urban Renewal Plan.
