Knox City Council has welcomed moves to rezone land to enable a nationally recognised health precinct to be established in Wantirna.
The Victorian Government is proposing to rezone part of the 22 hectare site, bound by EastLink, Boronia Road and Mountain Highway, for the future Wantirna Health Precinct.
Council has been working with the state government to establish the specialised health precinct, comprising a new best-practice public hospital, complementary medical services, education and research facilities, accommodation and housing.
The current phase of the project involves a proposal to rezone land owned by the Department of Transport and Planning and Asian Aussie Group in the site’s western section to strengthen the vision for the precinct.
Council is generally supportive of the proposed Planning Scheme Amendment (C185knox) and is working to ensure the retention of significant trees and prevent overshadowing of the ‘Green Spine’ in the centre of the precinct.
Knox Mayor, Cr Marcia Timmers-Leitch said the site was envisioned to become a nationally recognised health precinct in Melbourne’s east and it was important to get it right.
“The planning controls will play an important part in achieving the vision to deliver a precinct that provides better access to health care in park-like setting,” she said.
“The Wantirna Health Precinct is anticipated to provide approximately 3,000 direct health related jobs alone, as well as education facilities and housing.
“In our submission to the planning scheme amendment we are seeking the retention of vegetation in the south-west corner of the site. The trees form part of a wider habitat corridor within the EastLink Reserve and the shade and cooling of a treed area would contribute significantly to the landscape of the precinct.
“We’ve also highlighted that increased residential building heights may contribute to overshadowing of existing or future open space, particularly along the ‘Green Spine’ in the centre of the site.
Council has been working in partnership with the Victorian Planning Authority, Department of Health, Department of Transport and Planning and Eastern Health to realise a visionary masterplan for the health precinct in Wantirna.
