Torquay plan for new school

Alex de Vos
State Government will build a new primary school at Torquay, Education Minister Bronwyn Pike has announced.
Ms Pike said the Government would also extend secondary schooling to year 12 at Torquay College, in Grossman’s Road.
Ms Pike announced the projects when she officially opened the college’s secondary education component on Wednesday.
The Government would build the new primary school alongside Surf Coast Shire’s proposed community and civic precinct in Torquay’s north, she said.
The Government was negotiating with the shire to use its land adjacent to Torquay College for the additional year-10-to-12 facilities after the shire’s offices moved to the civic precinct.
Ms Pike said the new buildings were “just the beginning” of the Government’s plan to regenerate education in Torquay.
“These schools will ensure families can get great schools close to home for their children from the start of primary school all the way to the end of secondary school,” Ms Pike said.
“The Brumby Labor Government knows how important it is for young Victorians to develop a sense of community and we have provided Torquay students with the opportunity to continue education in a place that will help them do that.”
The Independent revealed last month that the Government had earmarked a site for the new primary school and a secondary school behind the proposed community and civic centre.
The 5.4-hectare site fronts Fisher Street adjacent to The Quay residential development.
Council revealed the location of the new schools in a master plan for the shire’s community and civic precinct, set to house council offices and other facilities at a cost to ratepayers of $40 million.
The schools would border a proposed recreation precinct and an affordable housing development.
The shire labelled the area a “future education precinct”.
Ms Pike’s spokesperson confirmed the site could eventually include a new secondary school at Torquay.
The spokesperson said the Government would host a series of community consultation sessions to determine the “design and scope” of the new primary school.