Council seeking feedback on sale of land at 45 Parkside Drive for health purposes

Council has received two separate expressions of interest from the Department of Health and Goulburn Valley Health to purchase part of the land.

Purchase of part of the site 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 site will also enable GV Health to provide staff accommodation on site that will provide contemporary living spaces 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. The site is appropriately zoned for residential development.

Both purchases of the land from the Department of Health and GV Health are subject to their evaluation of the site, and the undertaking of due diligence, investigations, and other government approvals.

Council will soon consult with land owners and the wider community to gather their feedback on the proposals. Any submissions received will be considered at a future Council Meeting.

Mayor, Cr Shane Sali said the proposals will assist in providing much-needed health services in our region.

“Council is committed to supporting families and children at all stages of their development. An Early Parenting Centre will deliver targeted and specialised services for families and their children that we haven’t had in Greater Shepparton before,” he said.

“GV Health is one of our region’s largest employers and we know that attracting and retaining health care professionals can be a challenge. Facilitating staff accommodation will ensure that GV Health has the staff to maintain and enhance the quality of health care in our region.”

The two proposals superseded an earlier proposal from Women’s Housing Ltd to buy part of 45 Parkside Drive to facilitate 45 dwellings that would cater for those in need of Affordable Housing. Council undertook community consultation for this proposal and agreed to sell part of the land at the June 2022 Council Meeting to facilitate Affordable Housing. Council has abandoned this proposal after Women’s Housing Ltd’s funding application, under the Big Housing Build program to construct the dwellings, was not successful.

Council is continuing to progress with a feasibility assessment that will consider options to best develop the remaining stages of the Parkside Gardens Estate, which will be considered by Council in due course.