By Alesha Capone
A plan to build a medical centre in Werribee, which will create 100 jobs during construction, has been praised by Wyndham council.
The council last week approved an application to build the two-storey medical hub at 2 Hindson Street – near Ison Road and Shipwright Parade – within the Harpley Town Centre.
The future centre will have 18 health service providers and 56 car parks.
Jason Black, from Inside Planning Consultants, spoke at the council meeting on behalf of the medical project’s construction partner.
Mr Black said Lendlease was developing the medical centre, as well as the Harpley Town Centre.
Mr Black said the expressions of interest process for future service providers at the centre has already attracted inquiries from GPs, dentists, a physiotherapist, a chiropractor, mental health specialists, imaging and pharmacy services and a gym and wellbeing provider.
He said that Lendlease has sold 2216 residential lots out of the 4345 lots expected to be created within Harpley.
“This is a suburb – the end result will be a population of about 12,000 people, within Harpley itself,” Mr Black said.
He said that building the medical centre would benefit not only Harpley’s existing 4400 residents, but the entire Wyndham west area.
Wyndham council’s manager of planning and building, Peter Van Til, said the plan for the medical centre was welcome because it would provide services while a new estate was being developed, rather than waiting until all the houses were built.
“That is not lagging for five years, or 10 years or whatever it might be, it’s actually an application for the here and now,” Mr Van Til said.
“From a planning perspective, it ticks all the boxes but it does provide a valuable health service, sooner rather than later, in a growing area.”
Cr Peter Maynard described the future medical centre as “outstanding”, while Cr Jennie Barrera said it was a “terrific proposal”.
Cr Heather Marcus said there was a shortage of doctors and specialists in Wyndham, so it would be good to have more based in the municipality.
She also said the design of the medical centre looked like a boat, which fits well with the name of the nearby Shipwright Parade.
