$25M Ballarat CBD revitalisation fund opens for applications

The Victorian government has opened applications for a $25 million Ballarat CBD Revitalisation Fund that will provide grants to businesses and property owners for facade upgrades, fit-out improvements, public art, and the activation of underutilised commercial buildings in the city's historic centre.

The fund is part of the state government's Regional Partnerships program and reflects a recognition that Ballarat's CBD — while broadly healthy relative to comparable regional commercial centres — has specific precincts where vacancy, deferred maintenance, and underutilisation are creating a negative impression at odds with the city's economic strength and growing population.

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson welcomed the fund, noting that several Lydiard Street heritage buildings had been seeking funding to support the remediation work required to bring them back into commercial use. The fund's heritage building stream specifically targets buildings listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, providing grants of up to $500,000 for qualifying remediation projects.

The fund will be administered by the Ballarat Business Innovation Centre, whose network of business advisers will assist applicants with the grant preparation and project planning that maximises the quality of applications submitted to the assessment panel.

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