title: Making Ballarat Central — CBD Strategy council: ballarat state: vic category: strategy status: adopted last_compiled: 2026-04-13 source_docs:
- making-ballarat-central-the-cbd-strategy-2011.txt
- making-ballarat-central-cbd-action-plan-2017-21.txt
Making Ballarat Central — CBD Strategy
“Making Ballarat Central” is the city’s strategic framework for the Ballarat CBD, consisting of the 2011 strategy document and a 2017–2021 action plan. Together they guide revitalisation, urban design, land use, and transport within the central city.
Key Content
The strategy establishes the CBD as the primary activity centre for the municipality and broader region. It addresses:
- Retail and commercial vitality
- Urban design and public realm improvements
- Heritage conservation and adaptive reuse
- Transport and accessibility
- Housing and mixed-use development in the CBD
- Night-time economy and cultural programming
The 2017–2021 Action Plan provides specific implementation actions building on the 2011 strategy framework.
Current Status
The 2011 strategy and 2017 action plan are adopted. The housing-strategy-2041 identifies the CBD as requiring further detailed planning — a CBD Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework (UDF) are flagged as future projects. The growth-areas-framework-plan references this as concurrent work in progress. (Source: growth-areas-framework-plan-western-and-north-western-growth-areas_august-2024.txt)
Relationships
- Related: ballarat-strategy-2040, activity-centres-strategy, housing-strategy-2041
- Related: bakery-hill (adjacent urban renewal precinct)
- Future: CBD Structure Plan and UDF (not yet commenced)
Gaps
CBD Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework— Draft CBD UDF (Hodyl & Co, Feb 2021) found; formal CBD Structure Plan not yet commenced. See housing-strategy-2041 > CBD Urban Design Framework (Draft, February 2021). Council’s Urban Renewal Program (2025) indicates new Structure Plans and UDFs are being prepared.- Whether the 2017–2021 action plan has been evaluated — unknown