Ballarat Rezoning Plan Splits Community: 85 Townhouses, Heritage Debate
A rezoning bid for 85 townhouses near Lake Wendouree has split Ballarat residents and planners over heritage rules and housing supply.
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Ballarat City Council received 92 formal objections last month to a rezoning application for 85 townhouses on a 4.2-hectare site at 142 Wendouree Parade.
The proposal arrives as Melbourne buyers continue to push into Ballarat, where the median house price sits at $510,000 and the Alfredton growth corridor recorded 312 new dwelling approvals in the 2025-26 financial year.
Objectors point to the site’s proximity to the Lake Wendouree heritage precinct and the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, arguing the three-storey buildings would block sightlines protected under the Ballarat Heritage Strategy 2023. They also cite increased traffic on the already congested Wendouree Parade during peak school runs at nearby Loreto College.
Developer case for more housing
The applicant, local firm Wendouree Developments Pty Ltd, states the project would deliver 40 percent more dwellings than the current low-density zoning allows and meet a 2026 state target of 1,800 additional homes across Ballarat by 2030. Company documents lodged with council show average sale prices projected at $485,000, below the suburb median, with 15 percent of units reserved for first-home buyers under the federal Home Guarantee Scheme.
Traffic and infrastructure concerns
Residents counter that the developer’s traffic study underestimates daily vehicle movements by 180 cars and ignores the lack of upgrades to the nearby Sturt Street roundabout, which already records peak-hour delays of up to 11 minutes according to VicRoads data from March 2026. Council planning officers have scheduled a public hearing for 28 July at the Town Hall to hear both sides before a final decision.
Ratepayers can inspect the full application documents at the council’s Bridge Mall office or submit further comments online until 20 July.
