Construction is kicking off on the new Ballarat GovHub project – a key milestone for the purpose-built facility for up to 1,000 Victorian Government employees, including 600 roles relocating from Melbourne.

Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes welcomed the erection of timber safety hoarding around the site, ahead of construction works beginning on the Andrews Labor Government project over the coming weeks.

The $100 million GovHub will be a key employer in Ballarat during construction, with around 500 jobs expected to be created across the team at Kane and Nicholson and building designer John Wardle Architects.

While construction activities have been carefully planned to minimise noise and other disruption, there will be some impacts on nearby residents and businesses, as well as motorists and pedestrians using the area.

From today, the northbound lane of Armstrong Street North will be closed between Mair Street and Market Street to allow for the movement of heavy vehicles in and out of the site.

Ballarat City Council will relocate the nearby skate park, and the onsite car park will no longer be available to the public.

The Labor Government has provided $2 million towards the City of Ballarat’s car parking strategy for 1,000 additional car parks to offset the loss of parking.

The GovHub’s design reflects the theme of the Civic Hall precinct and includes a reconstructed shared space for multi-purpose use and two levels of basement car parking, including 120 public car parks. The building is expected to be completed in 2020.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes

“We’re getting on with delivering major projects for Ballarat – creating jobs, building business confidence and driving huge economic growth in the city.”

“On top of the 1,000 government jobs that will now be based in Ballarat, the GovHub will create hundreds of jobs during construction, with labour and material sourced from the Ballarat region wherever possible.”

Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“This is such an exciting milestone for our Ballarat GovHub project and will inject new life right into our City – more importantly this transformation will create 500 local jobs during construction and that is just fantastic.”

Quote attributable to Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle

“As well as being the third largest commercial timber structure in Australia, GovHub will transform the Civic Hall site into a huge shared community space and bring more jobs to the heart of Ballarat.”