Summary
- Council agrees to sell part of 45 Parkside Drive for health purposes.
- The sale will facilitate the development of an Early Parenting Centre and staff accommodation.
- The decision follows expressions of interest from the Department of Health and Goulburn Valley Health.
- Council is currently undertaking a feasibility study for the remaining stages of Parkside Gardens Estate development.
Read the full story below.
The sale comes following two separate expressions of interest which Council received last year from the Department of Health and Goulburn Valley Health to purchase part of the land for future developments.
Purchase of part of the site, a 5,985m2 allotment, will enable the Department of Health to deliver a new Early Parenting Centre which will ensure parents are supported when it comes to sleeping, feeding, and extra care for babies with additional needs. The facility will provide consistent, high-quality service tailored to local needs and offer a range of other education, programs, and parenting advice.
The purchase of the other 7,761m2 allotment will enable GV Health to provide staff accommodation for clinical personnel. Growing workforce and accommodation demands are the most limiting factor for GV Health to attract and retain professional talent to the region. The delivery of staff accommodation will assist in attracting and retaining much needed health service professionals.
45 Parkside Drive is a vacant Council-owned site that is part of the Parkside Gardens Estate, which was partly developed as a joint initiative between Council and Vic Urban (now Places Victoria) in the early 2000’s. The site is appropriately zoned for residential development.
At the November 2023 Council Meeting, Council resolved to undertake community engagement in relation to its intention to sell part of the land at 45 Parkside Drive. Community consultation took place over four weeks last year, with Council receiving nine submissions both for and against the proposed developments.
Council Officers are currently undertaking a feasibility study to consider options of how to best develop the remaining stages of the Parkside Gardens Estate, which Council believe will address any objections received. This study will include lot size and layout, staging, review of the road network and improving the interface between the developable area and the sporting precinct and Verney Road School site (former Wanganui Park Secondary College site). A report to further consider any future work will be presented to Council in due course.
While Council has made the land available, it is now up to the purchaser to complete the appropriate due diligence to progress with the site.
Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, said the sale of land will assist in providing much-needed health services for the region.
“Council considers the two proposals to be effective ways to improve health outcomes and social wellbeing for babies and their families in Greater Shepparton. It also provides much needed accommodation to attract and retain health service professionals in the region,” he said.
“These developments align with the future vision of Parkside Garden’s as a residential area, which is important to consider in any sale of land such as this. Council look forward to working with the Department of Health and GV Health to progress these projects.”
