The Andrews Labor Government is getting on with delivering its promise of a Bannockburn P-12 school, with Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP today announcing Bannockburn Prep- Year 12 school will open for the start of the 2018 school
year, enabling the relocation and expansion of the existing Bannockburn Primary School.
The much needed school is being delivered as part of the largest ever new school building project in Victoria, which will see 15 brand new schools designed, financed, built and maintained under the $291 million New Schools Public Private partnership Project.
The Labor Government fast-tracked and expanded the New Schools PPP Project in
February, adding two additional schools, to deliver more new schools earlier for the areas that need them the most.
The existing Bannockburn Primary School community will relocate from the current constrained site on High street to brand new facilities at a larger site on Milton Street.
In line with Labor Government’s election commitment, the school will also be expanded to provide Year 7-12 facilities to meet the long-term needs of the growing Bannockburn community.
Additional community facilities and programs will be incorporated into each design, transforming every school into a community hub.
The former Liberal Government halved funding for new schools and upgrades, leaving
our local school system over-crowded and under-resourced.
The Labor Government has also announced Learning Communities Victoria as the preferred bidder to deliver and maintain the new schools, bringing together significant expertise and PPP experience with Amber as sponsor, ClarkeHopkinsClarke as architect, Watpac as builder, Spotless as facilities manager and YMCA and CERES as community partners.
Final negotiations with Learning Communities Victoria will now commence. The contract is expected to be signed in late October.
Local School Reference Groups will be established for each school in late 2016, while local families will be kept up-to-date on the creation of their new schools via community briefings planned prior to and during construction as well as before the school opening.
Quotes attributable to Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney
“I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that we will see the Bannockburn P-12 school open in 2018.”
“We promised the community that we would deliver this school as soon as possible and we’re not wasting a minute.”
“The previous Liberal Government moth-balled this project and were never going to
build it. It was a Labor Government who initiated this project and it will be a Labor government who builds it for the Bannockburn community.”
“This announcement is the light at the end of the tunnel for the Bannockburn community including each and every person who fought so hard to get this important outcome.”