Background
Department of Health
On 27 September 2023 Council received an expression of interest from the Department of Health to purchase part of 45 Parkside Drive, Shepparton for the purposes of family health infrastructure on the site. The sale will enable the Department of Health to deliver on Victorian Government’s commitment 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 purchase will involve a 5,985m2 allotment approximately, outlined in red as PARCEL 1 in the map to the right, north of the existing Bangerang Cultural Centre.
Goulburn Valley Health
On 2 November 2023 Council received an expression of interest from Goulburn Valley Health (GV Health) to purchase part of 45 Parkside Drive, Shepparton for the purposes of providing staff accommodation on the site.
GV Health currently lease over sixty residential properties and thirty hotel rooms within the Shepparton area at any given time. This demand for residential accommodation is increasing and stands as the most limiting factor for GV Health to attract and retain professional talent to the region.
GV Health is planning to consolidate and procure bulk accommodation in Shepparton, to provide contemporary apartment living that will be attractive for clinical personnel. Only GV Health staff will be accommodated in these proposed dwellings.
The purchase will involve nine lot allotments totalling 7,761m2 approximately, which is outlined in yellow as PARCEL 2 in the map to the right.
Consultation period
Section 114 of the Local Government Act 2020 requires Council, before selling or exchanging land, to publish a notice of its intention to sell the land and undertake a community engagement process in accordance with its community engagement policy.
Council invited submissions regarding the proposed gifting or sale of the land by completing an online ‘Have your Say’ form, via email, and via post. Submissions were open from Monday 27 November to Friday 22 December 2023.
Hearing of verbal submissions
Greater Shepparton City Council heard two verbal briefings from members of the public on the proposal to sell or gift the land on Tuesday, 13 February 2024.
You can view the recording of the submissions in the video player below, and read our media release on our website.
Feedback received in submissions and additional work undertaken
Council officers received nine submissions on the proposed sale of part of 45 Parkside Drive. Eight submissions raised matters related to the Department of Health request and five submissions raised matters relating to the GV Health request. In response to this Council officers prepared a Conversation Report outlining the consultation process, the common themes identified in submissions received and Council officers’ responses to each of these themes.
A link to the Conversation Report can be found below.
Next steps
Council will now consider the outcome of the consultation process relating to Council’s intention to sell Council-owned land to Department of Health and GV Health at 45 Parkside Avenue, Shepparton for the purposes of facilitating a family health related facility and staff accommodation at the Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday, 23 April 2024.
