‘New sites’ for school

By Erin Pearson
State Government is investigating three alternative sites for a new secondary school at Torquay, according to the school’s vice-president.
David Bell said the Government was looking elsewhere because the owner of the preferred land had set his price “far too high”.
Mr Bell said the Government was considering larger sites near South Beach Rd.
The Government could even build a primary school on the same parcel of land as well, he said.
“The original block was behind the council offices but we now need to look for a bigger block of land if the ovals around there (council offices) cannot be utilised,” he said.
“The building is all designed the Government just needs a site to sit it on.”
Mr Bell, who has been on the school’s planning committee since April, admitted parents were “fed up” with the wait.
“Most are accepting of the fact it will open eventually, whether it’s at the beginning of 2013 or not, but at this stage it probably won’t be open for the first day of the first term.”
State Government cast doubt on the scheduled 2013 opening last week in a letter to Labor Upper House MP Gayle Tierney.
Education Minister Martin Dixon said the Government had contingency plans in case the school failed to open for term one in 2013.
“The department has been unable to secure the preferred site despite providing an offer to the land holder consistent with the Valuer-General’s assessment of the site,” he said.
“We envisage that construction during 2012 will enable the school to be occupied from the start of the school year.”
Education Department spokes-person James Martin said the alternative arrangements could include a “phased building process” or temporary new buildings on the existing Torquay P-9 site.
Developer Mark Tomkinson, acting on behalf of the preferred site’s owner, said he was no longer in discussions with the Government.
The Government had simply “dismissed” them, he said.
Member for South Barwon Andrew Katos told the Independent in May that the new secondary school would cost $34.9 million.
The land would cost $8.4 million and the building $26.5 million, he said.