Planning Delegated Committee Meeting recap

On Wednesday evening 10 August 2022, at Ballarat City Council’s regular Planning Delegated Committee Meeting, Councillors re-considered the application for 63 Mahers Road Warrenheip, and the request to apply an Interim Heritage Overlay at 742 Geelong Road, Canadian.  

Seven of the nine councillors attended the meeting with Cr Amy Johnson and Cr Samantha McIntosh as apologies.  

Planning Permit Application | 63 Mahers Road, Warrenheip 

The planning permit application returned after being deferred at the Wednesday 13 July meeting to allow the applicant an opportunity to respond to issues raised by submitters at the July meeting, including traffic management, road infrastructure, nearby farming land, environmental impact and the scale of the hotel development. 

The City of Ballarat’s officer recommendation presented at the meeting was to issue a Notice of Decision to Grant a Planning Permit under the Ballarat Planning Scheme in respect to the application for the land at 63 Mahers Road Warrenheip.  

A motion was moved by Cr Des Hudson, that recommended the developer bear 100 per cent of the cost of the road upgrades to Greene Road and Mahers Road, additional landscaping and fencing requirements. 

Notice of the decision to grant a permit with the changes to road cost, landscaping and fencing conditions was supported.  

The planning permit application at 63 Mahers Road Warrenheip, for a proposed hotel, was voted in favour, six to one.  

The hotel proposal consists of a two-story hotel with 119 rooms. It will offer a function space for 140 people, a public restaurant and bar as well as a gin distillery. 

Interim Heritage Protection | 742 Geelong Road Canadian  

The City of Ballarat’s officer recommendation was to request that the Minister for Planning apply an Interim Heritage Overlay to the site until 23 August 2022 whilst an assessment for formal authorisation to proceed with a permanent Heritage Overlay is considered.  

The motion was put to the Planning Delegated Committee and debated in chambers. The motion was subsequently lost.