Central Bendigo is set to be transformed by the development of a $90M GovHub.
The one-stop-shop for Victorian and Local Government services will go ahead, after the Greater Bendigo City Council agreed to be part of the GovHub project, which will be dveloped on the site of the main City of Greater Bendigo office on Lyttleton Terrace.
The GovHub will house 400 City of Greater Bendigo staff and 600 public servants from a range of Victorian Government departments, including the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Department of Jobs, Regions and Precincts, Parks Victoria and 100 new jobs.
Mayor Cr Margaret O’Rourke said the GovHub would revitalise the city centre and drive investment in the local economy.
“This is an amazing city-building project with a key focus on bringing more people into central Bendigo to work or engage with government services,” Cr O’Rourke said.
“Our customers will be the real winner, as the GovHub will provide for the convenient, centralised delivery of a range of government services, where residents will be able to make planning enquiries, obtain permits, make general enquiries and pay bills all in one place.
“Development of the GovHub is also expected to create 90 jobs and inject $131M into the local economy during construction, and deliver a range of economic benefits to neighbouring retail and hospitality businesses.”
City staff are currently spread across seven buildings in the northern end of central Bendigo, four of the buildings are Council-owned and three are leased. The need for office co-location was recognised as part of the 2013 Independent Review process.
In 2015, the Victorian Government proposed the GovHub model to bring together a range of government services under one roof.
Seven development options were presented in a report to Council, which last night endorsed Option 1 – sell the site of the current main office on Lyttleton Terrace and become a tenant in the building. The four buildings Council owns on the site will make way for the 1,000-desk development.
“This was the most cost-effective option that allowed Council to be involved in the project,” Cr O’Rourke said.
“Development Victoria, the Victorian Government’s developer for major building projects, will be invited to undertake the delivery of the project on behalf of the Victorian Government and Council.
