A $30 million civic precinct development is on the table for Warragul - but the project will be dependent on two thirds of the funding coming from government sources.

While a new state of the art library will be a key feature of the development, the precinct also will include a community hub, gallery and cultural space, rooftop garden and underground parking.

Baw Baw Shire will now embark on a vigorous lobbying campaign to secure $20 million funding from the state and federal governments.

The $30 million project is phase one of the Baw Baw Civic Precinct Masterplan adopted by council earlier this year.

At that stage, it was estimated the new library would cost about $15 million but costings were not detailed for the full scope of the project.

Council has already committed $5 million in its long-term infrastructure plan for the project but last week agreed to double its commitment.

If external funding cannot be secured, council will revise the scope of the project.

The civic precinct will be located east of the existing Civic Place car park, with Albert St frontage on an old house site.

A report to council said a new library and learning centre was at the core of the precinct.

“Libraries are no longer quiet, dark places full of dusty books where they struggle to keep pace in a digital world,” officers said.

The project’s full scope includes:

A community library, including a children’s library, maker’s space, video gaming, reading, collection and study areas;

A gallery and cultural space;

Community meeting rooms;

Consulting rooms;

A café;

Plaza and pedestrian connection to the West Gippsland Arts Centre;

Co-working spaces;

A rooftop garden;

Underground parking; and,

Public amenities including a parents’ room and changing facility.

Infrastructure director Cohen van der Velde said if funding was secured, council aimed to progress the project to full designs this financial year.  The design process will include community consultation.

He said council would then proceed with the procurement process the following year, aiming for the project to be completed in 2024.

Mr van der Velde explained the net annual cost to council for borrowing an extra $5 million would be $160,000, taking into account savings on rental for the current library space.

The report to council said the estimated repayments would be about $335,000 per year.

Council currently pays $175,000 per year for the commercial lease of the Warragul library building, leaving a net additional cost to council of $160,000 per year.

Community consultation during development of the masterplan was “overwhelmingly positive” according to the report.

Mr Van der Velde said community feedback at the time strongly supported a civic precinct that connected to the open space of Civic Park.