Key details
Location192 Ring Road, Mitchell Park
Wadawurrung Country
Project completion The project continues to be developed in stages
Policy objectiveEconomic growth
Project partnersCity of Ballarat
Regional Development Victoria
Overview
Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ) is set to become the engine room for jobs and economic growth in Ballarat.
We are transforming surplus Crown land at 192 Ring Road, Mitchell Park into industrial, wholesale, logistics, construction, commercial and residential areas to create connected places where people can work and live
BWEZ will also be home to an Intermodal Freight Hub, which will provide secure infrastructure and access to road, rail and ports, encouraging employment growth in Ballarat and the surrounding region.
BWEZ is a joint initiative between the Victorian Government and the City of Ballarat to support the region’s economic growth over the next 20 years. BWEZ is being funded and delivered by Development Victoria, with Regional Development Victoria playing an important investment attraction role.
The 438-hectare project involves the development of surplus Crown land for industrial, wholesale, logistics, construction, commercial and residential uses, encouraging employment growth in Ballarat and the surrounding region.
BWEZ industrial land is being released in a staged manner to the open market.
Development Victoria acknowledges the Wadawurrung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land at BWEZ
Construction update
Civil works on Stage 2 of BWEZ are progressing well, with the installation of in-ground services such as water, gas, electrical and the National Broadband Network (NBN). Internal roads are also being constructed.
As part of these works, from 22 April to approximately mid-August, civil construction services company Winslow Constructors will be commencing works that will may require the partial closure of Airport Road West, between Nettles Road and the runway of the Ballarat Airport.
The works on Airport Road West include improving sewer, drainage, roads, shared-use paths, driveways, street lighting, and general landscape networks. Works will be also undertaken to construct entry and exit points to BWEZ.
During the construction, there will be a Traffic Management Plan in place to allow all residents and workers to safely access their homes and workplaces.
Find out more under the Stage 2 tab.
438ha project area
22 lots sold, Stage 1 and 1B
2 lots sold, Freight Hub Stage
12 lots sold, Stage 2
BWEZ stages
Acacia is a residential land development of 92 lots, successfully delivered by Development Victoria in partnership with the City of Ballarat and Regional Development Victoria in 2022.
The Acacia land development sold out in record time - a testament to the appetite and desirability for Ballarat as a place to call home.
Stage 1 & 1B are now complete, comprising of a range of industrial businesses across 22 lots.
The 2014/15 State Budget provided funding of $25.2 million and City of Ballarat provided funding of $5 million for Stage 1 and subdivision works were completed in 2016. The subdivision included an initial release of 36hectares of industrial land, construction of roads, services (including gas, recycled water and NBN) and landscaping.
With most of the land within Stage 1 sold, the State Government released an Expression of Interest (EOI) process for Stage 1B in February 2017. Civil works for Stage 1B were completed in June 2019.
Stage 2 comprises of 22 serviced lots on 55 hectares of high-quality industrial land.
Stages 3A comprises of two large lots (Expressions of Interest now closed).
Stage 3B is being investigated with the City of Ballarat as a future Circular Economy Precinct (Expressions of Interest now closed).
Stage 4 lots are located adjacent the main entrance to Ballarat Airport and will be delivered in the future.
The Freight Hub stage comprised a 5 lot subdivision on approximately 18 hectares of freehold land.
Subdivision and civil works were completed in 2023.
Two of the four lots have been sold.
One of the lots, approximately 6ha, is allocated for the Ballarat Intermodal Freight Terminal (BIFT).
The Freight Hub stage industrial land is an excellent location for freight and logistics enterprises, with exception access to road, broad guage rail and aviation infrastructure, with direct access to the future Ballarat Intermodal Freight Terminal. Its strategic location links Melbourne, regional and rural Victoria, Adelaide and the ports of Melbourne, Geelong and Portland.
Gateway Precinct comprises a 14.8 hectare super lot (Expressions of interest are welcome).
Location
Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ) is located on the north-west fringe of Ballarat, adjacent to the Ballarat Airport, existing rail infrastructure and the Ballarat Western Link Road.
Development Victoria acknowledges the Wadawurrung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land.
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Stage 2
Stage 2 sits on 55 hectares of industrial land that is north of Airport Road, and features 22 lots.
Many of the remaining lots for sale are located adjacent to the Ballarat Airport. Businesses can take advantage of the proximity to the airport and also the runway extension.
Construction and delivery of serviced industrial land at Stage 2 is scheduled to be completed in early 2025.
For more information on Expressions of Interest for Stage 2, please email bwezenquiry@development.vic.gov.au
Expressions of Interest for more lots in BWEZ Stage 2
Development Victoria has once again partnered with property specialists, Knight Frank, to market the sale of five more lots following strong buyer demand for Stage 2 of BWEZ.
The marketed lots are fully serviced to meet development requirements subject to BWEZ development guidelines and have a total area of 9.866ha.
The individual lots are adjacent to the Ballarat Airport and strategically located in the heart of BWEZ’s industry precinct.
To be eligible for this opportunity, businesses must address a set of criteria to ensure they are able to meet a certain standard of capability and capacity, policy outcomes, and proposed use.
Expressions of interest closes at 4pm (AEST) on Wednesday, 27 November.
For all enquiries please contact Knight Frank.
Stage 2 works
Winslow Constructors has been engaged as the successful head contractor to complete the civil works for Stage 2.
The subdivision scope includes delivering 22 lots, serviced by two new roads, adjacent footpaths and essential services.
Works commenced on-site in August 2023, with practical completion due in early 2025.
| Civil Construction | commenced August 2023 |
| Statement of Compliance | January 2025 |
| Title Registration | February 2025 |
| Settlement | from March 2025 |
*The timeline is approximate and Development Victoria reserve the right to update the program.
Civil works continue to progress well, with internal roads and footpaths largely complete and application of the final wearing layer and line markings has begun.
Airport Road, along the southern border of the site, has been reopened to bi-directional traffic under a 40 kph speed limit, allowing for a reduction in temporary traffic controls along the road.
Winslow will be continuing with landscaping tasks and finishing of roads over the coming months and continue to obtain Service Authority approvals as the site moves toward completion, currently on track for Practical Completion in January 2025.
Stage 2 gallery
Resources
- BWEZ Stage 2 Bulk Earthworks Plan PDF, 8.2 mb
- BWEZ Stage 2 Services Drawings PDF, 8.5 mb
- BWEZ Stage 2 Planning Permit PDF, 198.4 kb
- Plan of subdivision PDF, 142.3 kb
- Ballarat Airport – A Strategic and Competitive Aviation Precinct PDF, 6.4 mb
- Stage 2 Civil Works Stantec Landscape pages L00 - L13 PDF, 28.2 mb
- Stage 2 Civil Works Stantec Landscape pages L14 - L27 PDF, 22.6 mb
- BWEZ Stage 2 Endorsed Planning Set PDF, 18.9 mb
- Issue B Civil drawings pages 1-53 PDF, 17.8 mb
- Issue B Civil drawings pages 54-106 PDF, 11.9 mb
- BWEZ Northern Land Parcel – Geotechnical Investigation & Pavement Design Report Oct 2022 PDF, 33.0 mb
- BWEZ Northern Land Parcel - Preliminary Environmental Site Investigation - Tonkin & Taylor - Jan 2022 PDF, 13.7 mb
Stage 3B: Circular economy precinct
In early 2023, Development Victoria ran a successful Expression of Interest (EOI) process for businesses to purchase land in Stage 3B to establish a Circular Economy Precinct.
To be eligible for this opportunity, businesses were required to address a set of criteria to ensure they were able to meet a certain standard of capability and capacity, policy outcomes, proposed use and that businesses show they operate in a circular way.
Circular Economy Precinct (EOI) is now closed.
What is a circular economy?
A circular economy continually seeks to reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption, while enabling economic growth through more productive use of natural resources.
The aim of a circular economy is to extend the life cycle of products and use resources more efficiently through recycling and reducing waste to zero.
The Victorian Government has developed a plan – Recycling Victoria: a new economy to cut waste and boost recycling and reuse of the state’s precious resources for a cleaner, greener Victoria.
Please follow these design guidelines to guide future development within the BWEZ precinct.
The guidelines provide guidance on:
- General Provisions
- landscape design
- key frontages
- signature sites
- strategic development sites
- ecologically sustainable design (ESD)
- crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles
- planning application submission requirements.
The approved Development Plan requires development to be delivered to a high standard of amenity in both the private and the public environment.
Using the guidelines
The Ballarat West Employment Zone Design Guidelines have been prepared as a practical reference for businesses seeking to establish operations within the precinct.
Compliance with these guidelines will simplify the planning permit application and assessment process and ensure developments present a high level of design, which provides an attractive precinct.
There are seven parts to the Urban Design and Landscape Guidelines.
- General Provisions that apply to all development sites.
- Specific issues that apply to particular sites that are identified as either having a Key Frontage, Signature Site or Strategic Development Site potential that requires a tailored design response.
- Landscape design.
- Key frontages within the precinct.
- Signature sites and strategic development sites.
- Details Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) expectations of the precinct.
- An overview of the Planning Application submission requirements.
Applicants are directed to review the guidelines to confirm if their properties are identified as having a Key Frontage or is a Signature Site or Strategic Development Site.
Each of the Guidelines sets out:
- a desired outcome
- design requirements (that must be satisfied)
- design suggestions (that desirably should be satisfied but are not mandatory).
The guidelines contain a series of illustrations, which indicate how the Design Requirements and Suggestions might generally apply to the siting and design of developments.
See below for an example of a guideline and how to comply.
Access and Movement
Desired Outcome
Access and manoeuvring arrangements to/from and within sites at BWEZ cater for large vehicles, are safe and do not cause detriment to other road users.
Design requirements
Site layouts must provide adequate space for trucks and vehicle movements and parking.
Access and parking must not dominate the presentation of development when viewed from the street
Separate access should be provided for pedestrians and cyclists, unless it can be demonstrated that it is impractical to do so.
Truck access, manoeuvring and loading areas must to be separate from car parking areas.
Where not subdivided, all driveways must satisfy the relevant regulations and standards.
Cars and small commercial vehicles must be able to enter and leave the site in a forward direction wherever possible. On smaller lots this requirement may be waivered if it can be demonstrated that it is impractical to achieve this outcome.
Design suggestions
Loading docks should be preferably situated to the side or rear of building.
Pedestrian access through car parking areas should be clearly marked, and where possible emphasised by the use of raised and textured surfaces and articulated through landscaping.
On smaller and constricted sites, consider the use of turntables in order to achieve forward-in forward-out movement of trucks, without the need for full turning areas.
Buildings should be designed to allow loading / unloading of vehicles within the building.
In summary, the Desired Outcome outlines the vision of what is trying to be achieved, the Design Requirements indicate the specifics of the outcome, and the Design Suggestions provide examples on how to apply the aforementioned design requirements.
Assessment process
Applicants are encouraged to seek a pre-application meeting with the City of Ballarat Planning Department as early as possible.
Pre-application discussions will centre around the proposal in relation to the guidelines and how the use and development responds to a range of analysis including:
- Heritage Impact Assessment
- Cultural Heritage Management Plan
- Flood Analysis
- Details of railway connection (if any)
- Site context plan, including feature survey
- Plans fully documenting the proposal
- Ideally any comments from service providers
- Details of any materials to be stored on site relevant to Clause 53.10 (Adverse Amenity Impacts) which relates to the required setback of specific land uses from sensitive land uses like residential areas
- Vegetation removal details (if any)
- Title documents.
Please note: Not all of the above documentation will apply to every application.
- Applications may be submitted in hardcopy or electronically - electronically is preferred. If submissions are being provided in hardcopy, up to 3 x A3 copies are to be supplied.
- Information and drawings that must be supplied with the planning permit application include:
- Copy of Certificate of title and title plan, searched within 30 days of the application being lodged with the City of Ballarat.
- Location Plan (showing site within BWEZ).
- Existing Conditions Plan (showing adjoining developments and infrastructure, including rail).
- Context Analysis Plan (required for all Key Interfaces and Signature Sites; encouraged for all other sites).
- Plans and diagrams illustrating how the proposed development will respond to the local context.
- Site Layout Plan at a scale of 1:500 or as agreed.
- Building elevations at a scale of 1:100.
- Materials and finishes schedule for building elements and any external finish including pathways and fencing.
- Landscape plan at a scale of 1:200 or as otherwise agreed.
- Lighting as per the guidelines requirements.
- A site works specification including the method of preparing, watering and maintaining landscaped areas.
- Numbering and signage.
- A completed Development Checklist.
- A Planning Report outlining how the proposal responds to the provisions of the Ballarat Planning Scheme and the BWEZ Development Plan, including an assessment addressing any potential amenity impacts on nearby areas.
- An arborists assessment of the vegetation to be removed (if applicable). If the vegetation proposed to be removed is native vegetation, additional information will be required. Please contact the Planning Department for more information.
- A Cultural Heritage Management Plan (if applicable).
Full information on planning application submission requirements can be found in Section 7 of the Guidelines or by contacting the City of Ballarat Planning Department.
If you have any questions regarding the content of the Guidelines and how to achieve compliance, we recommend that you call City of Ballarat on 03 5320 5107.
Frequently asked questions
BWEZ is a joint initiative between the Victorian Government and the City of Ballarat to support the region’s economic growth over the next 20 years.
BWEZ is being funded and delivered by Development Victoria, with Regional Development Victoria playing an important investment attraction role.
It is being delivered by Development Victoria on behalf of Regional Development Victoria and the City of Ballarat to support the region's economic growth.
It will attract new businesses, create jobs and provide housing opportunities for the community through the development of Crown land.
it is a 438-hectare project – located on the north-west fringe of Ballarat.
Approximately 130ha of industrial land has been supplied to date.
To date, the precinct is forecasting almost 1,200 full-time jobs will be created, with the potential for this number to increase as future stages are completed.
Ballarat West Employment Zone is made up of the following stages:
- Acacia housing development:
25 hectares of residential land, including 92 residential lots - Stage 1 and Stage 1B:
70ha industrial land. - Stage 2:
55ha of industrial land adjacent to Ballarat Airport.
Planning approval for 22 lots - some with potential for direct access to the Ballarat Airport. - Stage 3A and 3B:
3A: two large lots
3B: future Circular Economy Precinct - Stage 4:
Borders Ballarat Airport and will be subject to future development. - Mixed use site
- Freight Hub Stage
Five serviced lots, one allocated for the future Ballarat Intermodal Freight Terminal. - Gateway Precinct
- Acacia housing development:
Completed. All 92 lots sold. - Stage 1 and Stage 1B:
Completed. All lots sold. - Stage 2:
Civil works underway and due to be completed in 2025. - Stage 3A and 3B:
Subject to future development - Stage 4:
Subject to future development. - Mixed use site
Subject to future development. - Freight Hub Stage
Two of the four lots sold.
A circular economy continually seeks to reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption, while enabling economic growth through more productive use of natural resources.
The aim of a circular economy is to extend the life cycle of products and use resources more efficiently through recycling and reducing waste to zero.
The Freight Hub will improve connectivity and the supply chain efficiency in Ballarat and its regions. It will include three rail sidings capable of accommodating 600m-long freight trains and a substantial concrete hardstand for the efficient loading, unloading and storage of export shipping containers.
The Victorian Government has contributed $14.4 million and the Australian Government provided $9.1 million in the 2014 Federal Budget, and an additional $18.7m in the 2024 budget, for the development of the Ballarat Intermodal Freight Hub.
Background Assessments
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Geotechnical Desktop Assessment prepared by Golder Associates PDF, 1.7 mb
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Hydrogeological Review prepared by Senversa PDF, 7.9 mb
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Historical Information Review PDF, 26.5 mb
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Targeted Soil Assessment prepared by Senversa PDF, 10.9 mb
- Ballarat West Employment Zone Environmental Management Plan prepared by Biosis PDF, 8.7 mb
Updated on 13 November 2024