300 MAIR STREET  

Financial Reports on Project Costs for Civic Hall Project. 

• 2010-11 Project Expenditure Report
• 2011-12 Project Expenditure Report

Roy Morgan Research Survey Results. 

Roy Morgan Research conducted phone and focus group surveys during December 2011 on the Ballarat community’s views on proposals for the Civic Hall.  The reports will be formally provided to Council on Wednesday 8 February 2012.  Here are the results : 

• CATI Survey Quantitative Report
• Qualitative Report v1 Roy Morgan

The planning application for the proposed redevelopment at 300 Mair Street Ballarat has been lodged with Council. Residents will have 21 days to make submissions or comment on the planning application from Saturday 5 November 2011. Council has extended the comment period by an additional 7 days from the usual 14 to ensure adequate opportunity for the community to view the application and comment. 

Answers to questions from community forum - uploaded 19 December 2011

Financial information (added December 8 2011)

• Business case overview
• Financial information for proposed 300 Mair St project

Council will hear submissions in December and hopes to consider the application at a December 2011 Counicl meeting.

The 300 Mair Street site was identified through the City of Ballarat's Economic Development Strategy and CBD Strategy as being a key catalyst for Ballarat's future growth. The strategies recognise Ballarat's strong population growth over the next 15 years and identify levers necessary to capitalise on that growth through commercial expansion, investment and employment opportunities.

Of particular note is the requirement of 65,000m2 of commercial space for the CBD and the stimulation of the Mair Street precinct, with the 300 Mair Street site as a flagship for the strip.

Master Plan

The City of Ballarat commissioned a Masterplan process to ensure development of the site delivered the best possible outcome in terms of urban design, economic yield, community space and environmental outcomes for residents.

The Masterplan sets the direction for the site and controls future development of the site.

The Masterplan will become the development overlay for the entire site.  This will ensure the end project is consistent with Council’s vision

Click here to view the interactive map.

Process to appoint an Architect

Council wanted to have a clear understanding of exactly what would replace the Civic Hall building prior to deciding whether to demolish the old building.  

The best way to give Councillors and the community certainty about what would replace the Civic Hall building was to run a design competition to identify the best three architects and designs for the project. 

The following architectural firms (in alphabetical order) were shortlisted by the panel to participate in the tender or Design Competition stage of the project.

• Bligh Voller Nield (BVN)
• Lyons
• Spowers

Council selected Lyons and their design as best meeting the criteria of design, cost and value along with a range of other criteria.

The Design and Architect

On 10 August 2011, Ballarat City Council voted to appoint Lyons as the architect for the site and selected the design below for the site. View the fly through.

 The design sets a new standard for architectural design for Ballarat and delivers the city's future heritage. It is a design which respects the city's heritage and the thermal tower completes the quadrant of city towers including Town Hall, Post Office and Station. 

The building strives to achieve a 5-star Green Star rating and a 5-star NABERS Energy rating. The 5 star rating is best practice nationally for commercial buildings. It will include leading edge sustainable design including thermal chimney, under floor air, water capture and re-use, solar technology and passive lighting.

The project will respect the former Civic Hall building through re-using timber flooring as feature panels throughout the new building and re-using bricks as way finding and to identify the Civic Hall foundations within the public realm. The plaques and statues will be utilised in a statue walk leading through to the library and story boards will be developed for the site to remember the Civic Hall building.

The $40 million project will deliver:

• a completely landscaped site that includes decontamination works,
• a $27 million 6,500 m2 council and public facility,
• 270 car parks with the ability to scale up to 1,000 costing $8 million,
• an engaging public realm throughout the site which links the library back into the CBD and public square and three separate development sites which could deliver up to an additional 20,000m² of commercial office space to the Ballarat CBD.

Town Hall Re-Use

Ballarat’s best heritage building – the Town Hall will be returned to community use. Following a move to 300 Mair Street building, the ground level of Town Hall will be refurbished and handed over to community use. The A Hall will also be returned to its former glory for the community.

Council will embark on work to identify suitable community uses for the Town Hall.

Questions and Answers -September 2011

• What is the 300 Mair Street project?
• Why is the 300 Mair Street site being redeveloped?
• Who runs the 300 Mair Street project?
• How can I have a say on the design and the project?
• How did Council decide on this plan for the site?
• Why did the City of Ballarat use a design competition to select the architect design?

The Architect

• Why did you choose Lyons as the architect and their design?

The Site

• Why is the Council building positioned on the prominent corner of the block?
• Why is the building set back from the street?
• What is the community getting from the project?
• When will the project be finished?
• Why do the plans feature an orchard if the site has contamination?
• How will the Civic Hall building be represented in the new project?
• What about the heritage of the existing building?

The Design

• Is this what will be built?
• What are the sustainable features of the project?
• Why is it yellow?
• Why doesn’t it look heritage?
• How will the building be maintained?
• Is it wise to have so much glass? How will you keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter and how will you clean all that glass?
• Why is the building angled at the front?
• Why does the design include commercial space?
• Who will lease the space?
• Is the building too big for Council?
• Has Council gone overboard with the design?
• How does the design reflect the principles that Council set?
• How will you ensure the quality of other buildings to be built on the site?
• Will the car park be an eyesore?
• What else will happen on the site?
• How will local businesses be involved in the project?
• Does Council have a conflict of interest in being the applicant and the approving body?
• What are the steps from here?

Budget

• What is the budget for the project?
• What will $40 million deliver?
• Will the project affect rates?
• How will Council manage the borrowings?
• What will happen to Council expenditure on other projects?
• Can the design be delivered within budget?
• What about the site contamination, is that included in the budget?

Community Engagement

• How has Council sought the views of the community?