A Sturt Street business is seeking to expand in one of the boulevard's grandest buildings, with plans for a new upper-level cafe.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The planning application, submitted to the City of Ballarat, includes detail for interior remodelling at 23 to 27 Sturt Street, linking two buildings and providing private upper-floor naturopathy consulting rooms and a cafe in the front room.
The documents also include a proposal to knock down several inner walls to connect the two buildings on the first floor, and installation of a gallery and lift to a new glass-walled outdoor terrace section - there would be no alteration to the Sturt Street-facing facades, with the lift proposed for the rear of the buildings.
The current tenants, Go Vita and Sweet Fern Fragrance Boutique, would remain in the shopfronts.
The planning documents note the building at 23-25 Sturt Street was built in 1891, and the facades would be retained under heritage permit requirements.
"It is an Edwardian Flemish Baroque design which has striking blue and white tiles along the front facade, a recessed balcony and double bay windows and an elaborate gable roof form," it states.
"(Inside, t)he stairwell leads to the atrium on the first floor which is very much in intact and is influenced with art nouveau and Greek revival detail along the timber staircase pressed tin ceilings, architraves and leadlight windows.
"Given the significance of the atrium section of the first floor any demolition and alterations have been avoided in this location."
The proposed cafe would have access from the stairs at 25 Sturt Street.
The eastern end of Sturt Street has experienced something of a revival in recent years, with new cafes thriving and several buildings recently leased.
New businesses, like a Japanese restaurant, have been proposed and are understood to be under construction, while the City of Ballarat is refreshing the footpath and median gardens kerbing from Lydiard Street to Grenville Street, to link to a shared path that goes all the way to Pleasant Street.
Those works, as well as an upgrade to the Albert Street Parent Place and public toilets, are expected to be complete soon, before the Bridge Street redevelopment goes to tender.
While the focus of the plan is to reopen the mall to traffic from west to east, parts of Grenville Street will also be closed to create new linear park and dining spaces - work is expected to be finished before the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Have you tried The Courier's app? It can be downloaded here.
