New Multi-Purpose Centre one step closer with planning permit awarded

St Patrick’s College’s new Multi-Purpose Centre is one step closer with the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning in consultation with the City of Ballarat last week awarding a Planning Permit for the project.

 The new, state of the art facility has moved to the Tender stage with work expected to commence in the first quarter of 2022.

Final detailed plans for the new multi-purpose centre include an 800-seat auditorium with permanent stage, flexible learning spaces, drama rooms, music tutorial rooms and associated storage areas. The facility will also include the creation of a new amenities area for students and will be built near the north-east corner of the St Patrick’s College site, fronting Wanliss Street.    

 

 St Patrick’s College Principal, Mr Steven O’Connor welcomed the development. “St Patrick’s College is thrilled that our planning permit application has been successful and looks forward with great anticipation to the commencement of work on the project next year,” Mr O’Connor said.

 “The Multi-Purpose building will be an outstanding facility that encapsulates our strong commitment to the music and the performing arts programs at St Patrick’s College.”

The College appointed renowned Melbourne firm John Wardle Architects to design the building which will aim to host large-scale College events. The development will include provision for car parking, soft landscaping and covered play spaces for students to protect them from wet and extreme weather.

St Patrick’s College Business Manager, Mr Andrew Ballesty said “it will be a landmark project that will involve as much local content in the build as we can manage, while also signalling our long term commitment to provide a wholistic education for the boys of our community.”

Sustainability has also been considered in the design with further extensions of the College’s solar capability, water saving technology and LED lighting systems. 

Pleasingly, one of the lead architects from John Wardle is Old Collegian Luke Jarvis who attended the College from 1993-98 and was most recently one of the lead designers for the award-winning Ballarat GovHub project on the corner of Mair and Armstrong St. 

The State Government announced a $2 million grant for the project in October, 2020