By Alesha Capone
The state government has secured land for a future secondary school in Werribee.
Werribee MP Tim Pallas announced the news on Friday. Mr Pallas said the government has obtained an 8.4 hectare site within the Harpley Estate, for the future school to be built upon.
The land has been acquired so the school’s construction can be funded under a future state budget, or budgets.
The land has been secured as part of a Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) work-in-kind agreement with a local developer.
The GAIC is a levy paid by developers for future essential infrastructure and services in areas they are building in – in this case, instead of paying the levy, the developers have provided land for the future school.
The $20.9 million work-in-kind agreement for the future school’s land, negotiated by the Victorian Planning Authority, has been established with Lendlease.
A statement from the state government said that under the agreement, the land has been secured “for considerably cheaper than the value determined by the Valuer-General”.
“This is a landmark deal that will make sure developers making a windfall out of building new communities give back to the families who will call this neighbourhood home,” Mr Pallas said.
Once complete, the Harpley Estate will become home for 12,000 people.
“This will be great place to live and raise a family, and with a site now secured for a secondary school the work is being done to ensure important community infrastructure keeps pace with growth,” Mr Pallas said.
The Werribee deal marks the eighth successful GAIC work-in-kind agreement established in Victoria.
The eight GAIC work-in-kind agreements signed off by the Victorian Planning Authority are worth a combined $64 million.
According to Wyndham council, the municipality will we need six new primary schools and two new secondary schools by 2023, due to the growing number of children and teenagers living in the area.
The council’s long-running schools4wyndham campaign is urging the state government to allocate land for a new primary school in Williams Landing and an additional P-9 school in Point Cook.
