Victorian School Building Authority

Last updated

Victorian School Building Authority
Company type Government agency
FoundedAugust 2016
Headquarters33 St Andrews Place, ,
Key people
Tom Kirkland (CEO) [1]
Parent Department of Education (Victoria)
Website www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au

The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) is a division of the Victorian Department of Education which is responsible for the construction of new government schools and infrastructure improvements of existing schools. [2] It was established by the Andrews Government as part of the 2016 Victorian Budget. [3]

Contents

Between 2017 and 2024, the Authority opened 96 new primary and secondary schools in the state and plans to open an additional 25 by 2026. [2]

A number of the VSBA's new schools are so-called "vertical schools" on inner-city sites, a new concept in Victoria. [4]

History

During the 2014 Victorian state election, the Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews promised $1.3 billion for new schools and school upgrades. [5] The School Building Authority was established as part of the 2016 state budget with a cost of $1.1 billion for school infrastructure. [6] This included $42 million to build and reopen Richmond High School, a school that was controversially closed for 22 years by the government of Jeff Kennett. [6] [7] The huge projects for school construction came as a result and recommendation of a research published by the Grattan Institute. They have found that due to the state's rapid population growth, Victorian schools would need to absorb an extra 190,000 students in the decade from 2016, requiring 7,200 new teachers and 140 to 220 new schools to be built. [8] In 2017, Education Minister James Merlino said the state needed to absorb an additional 90,000 students over the next five years. [9]

The removal of trees for the construction of Beaumaris Secondary College caused controversy in 2016. [10]

In the lead-up to the 2018 state election, Andrews announced the Authority would build 100 new schools over the next eight years in order to meet Melbourne's population growth, with 45 schools to be built over the next term of government. [11] [12] The schools would mainly be built in the city's growing outer suburbs at an additional cost of $850 million. [11]

In July 2022, the state government released tenders for eleven new schools. [13] In October 2022 during the 2022 state election, Andrews announced funding for a further 25 new state schools would be built in Victoria by 2026, with 90 schools upgraded or expanded, at a cost of $1.6 billion. [14] This was to meet the government's commitment to build 100 new schools by 2026. [14]

Architecture

The new South Melbourne Primary School, Victoria's first "vertical" primary school, 2018. South Melbourne Primary School (26870006508).jpg
The new South Melbourne Primary School, Victoria's first "vertical" primary school, 2018.
Detail of South Melbourne Primary School, 2018. South Melbourne Primary School Corner detail (40030969714).jpg
Detail of South Melbourne Primary School, 2018.

The scale of the school infrastructure program led the VSBA in 2017 to seek architects for its new schools, and for new permanent, modular classrooms for existing schools. [15] [16] A number of these classrooms were to replace existing buildings that contained asbestos. [16] The Authority was tasked with replacing 100 of these buildings with prefabricated classrooms. [16]

At certain inner-city locations, space was constrained, and the authority embarked on building "vertical school" campuses, a first for Melbourne. [9] Richmond High School became the state's first vertical high school while South Melbourne Primary School was heralded as the state's first vertical primary school. [9] Designed by Hayball, the 525 student South Melbourne Primary opened in 2018, serving the nearby rapidly growing inner-city areas of Southbank and Fisherman's Bend. [17] The six-story campus sat on a half-acre site on Ferrars Street, adjacent to a new park built on land purchased by the state government and the City of Port Philip in 2017. [18] The primary school would have no formal classrooms and instead would feature a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces and a central staircase for circulation, with the architect saying it represented a new approach to density for Melbourne. [19] The project was named Future Project of the Year at the 2016 World Architecture Festival in Berlin. [20]

Other inner-city schools like Prahran High School, which opened in 2019, were built as vertical schools. [21] The 650-student school is four storeys tall and is designed by Gray Puksand. [21] [22] COX Architecture and McGregor Coxall designed the three-story campus for Docklands Primary School in the CBD-adjacent Docklands precinct. [23]

Childcare centres

In 2022, the Andrews Government announced that the VSBA would build 50 childcare centres across Victoria. [24] [25] Part of a major $9 billion expansion of state provision of childcare, the first four centres were planned to open by 2025 and are being colocated with existing primary or secondary schools. [26] [27]

List of new VSBA schools

School [28] Suburb or townYearsStatusOpened
Aintree Primary SchoolAintreeP–6Finished2021
Aitken Hill Primary SchoolCraigieburnP–6Finished2019
Armstrong Creek SchoolArmstrong CreekP–12Finished2018
Ashley Park Primary SchoolDoreenP–6Finished2019
Bannockburn P–12 CollegeBannockburnP–12Finished2018
Banum Warrik Primary SchoolKalkalloP–6Finished2024
Barayip Primary SchoolTarneitP–6Under construction2025 (planned)
Barrawang Primary SchoolWollert WestP–6Finished2023
Barton Primary SchoolCranbourne WestP–6Finished2017
Bass Coast College – San Remo CampusSan Remo7–9Finished2022
Beaumaris Secondary CollegeBeaumaris7–12Finished2018
Bemin Secondary CollegeTruganina7–12Finished2024
Beveridge Primary School – New CampusBeveridgeP–6Finished2020
Binap Primary SchoolBrookfieldP–6Finished2024
Botanic Ridge Primary SchoolBotanic RidgeP–6Finished2020
Bridgewood Primary SchoolOfficerP–6Finished2018
Brinbeal Secondary CollegeTarneit7–12Finished2024
Burnside Primary SchoolBurnsideP–6Finished2019
Casey Central Primary School (interim name)CobblebankP–6Planning2026 (planned)
Casey Fields Primary SchoolCranbourne EastP–6Finished2020
Clyde Creek Primary SchoolClydeP–6Finished2022
Clyde Secondary CollegeClyde7–12Finished2022
Cobblebank Secondary School (interim name)Cobblebank7–12Planning2026 (planned)
Cranbourne West Secondary CollegeCranbourne West7–12Finished2021
Davis Creek Primary SchoolTarneitP–6Finished2020
Deanside Primary SchoolDeansideP–6Finished2022
Dharra SchoolAintreeFinished2024
Docklands Primary SchoolDocklandsP–6Finished2021
Dohertys Creek P–9 CollegeTruganinaP–9Finished2019
Donnybrook Primary SchoolDonnybrookP–6Finished2023
Edenbrook Secondary CollegePakenham7–12Finished2021
Edgars Creek Primary SchoolWollertP–6Finished2021
Edgars Creek Secondary CollegeWollert7–12Finished2018
Elevation Secondary CollegeCraigieburn7–12Finished2020
Endeavour Hills Specialist SchoolEndeavour HillsFinished2022
Eynesbury Primary SchoolEynesburyP–6Finished2021
Featherbrook P–9 CollegePoint CookP–9Finished2017
Fishermens Bend Primary School (interim name)Port MelbourneP–6Planning2026 (planned)
Footscray High School – New Junior CampusFootscray7–9Finished2021
Gaayip–Yagila Primary SchoolMicklehamP–6Finished2021
Garrang Wilam Primary SchoolTruganinaP–6Finished2021
Gilgai Plains Primary SchoolKalkalloP–6Finished2022
Grayling Primary SchoolClyde NorthP–6Finished2020
Greater Shepperton Secondary CollegeShepperton7–12Finished2022
Greenvale Secondary CollegeGreenvale7–12Finished2022
Hamlyn Views SchoolHamlyn HeightsFinished2018
Harvest Home Primary SchoolEppingP–6Finished2017
Homestead Senior Secondary CollegePoint Cook10–12Finished2020
Horseshoe Bend Primary School (interim name)CharlemontP–6Planning2026 (planned)
John Henry Primary SchoolPakenhamP–6Finished2017
Karwan Primary SchoolTarneitP–6Finished2023
Keelonith Primary SchoolGreenvaleP–6Finished2021
Keysborough Gardens Primary SchoolKeysboroughP–6Finished2020
Kurmile Primary SchoolOfficerP–6Finished2024
Kurrun Primary SchoolOfficerP–6Finished2023
Kuyim Primary SchoolPakenhamP–6Under construction2025 (planned)
Laa Yulta Primary SchoolMambourinP–6Finished2024
Leneva (Frederic Street Road) Primary School (interim name)Wondonga EastP–6Planning2026 (planned)
Lockerbie Secondary School (interim name)Kalkallo7–12Planning2026 (planned)
Lockerbie Specialist School (interim name)KalkalloPlanning2026 (planned)
Lollypop Creek Primary SchoolWerribeeP–6Finished2023
Lucas Primary SchoolLucasP–6Finished2020
McKinnon Secondary College – East CampusMcKinnon7–12Finished2022
Mernda Central P–12 CollegeMerndaP–12Finished2017
Mernda Park Primary SchoolMerndaP–6Finished2017
Mickleham Secondary CollegeMickleham7–12Finished2023
Mirniyan Primary SchoolClyde NorthP–6Under construction2025 (planned)
Mirripoa Primary SchoolDuneedP–6Finished2020
Monash Children's Hospital SchoolClaytonFinished2017
Morwell Central Primary SchoolMorwellP–6Finished2018
Nearnung Primary SchoolTarneitP–6Finished2023
Newbury Primary SchoolCraigieburnP–6Finished2017
Nganboo Borron SchoolWerribeeFinished2024
Ngarri Primary SchoolManor LakesP–6Finished2023
North Melbourne Primary School – New CampusNorth MelbourneP–6Finished2023
Orchard Park Primary SchoolOfficerP–6Finished2021
Oberon High SchoolArmstong Creek7–12Finished2021
Pakenham Primary SchoolPakenhamP–6Finished2019
Point Cook South P–9 (interim name)Point CookP–9Planning2026 (planned)
Point Cook South Specialist School (interim name)Point CookPlanning2026 (planned)
Port Melbourne Secondary CollegePort Melbourne7–12Finished2022
Prahran High SchoolWindsor7–12Finished2019
Preston High SchoolPreston7–12Finished2019
Quarters Primary SchoolCranbourne WestP–6Finished2023
Ramlegh Park Primary SchoolClyde NorthP–6Finished2021
Richmond High SchoolRichmond7–12Finished2018
Riverbend Primary SchoolWyndham ValeP–6Finished2021
Riverwalk Primary SchoolWerribeeP–6Finished2020
Saltwater P–9 CollegePoint CookP–9Finished2019
South Melbourne Park Primary SchoolSouth Albert ParkP–6Finished2019
South Melbourne Primary SchoolSouthbankP–6Finished2018
Springside West Secondary CollegeFraser Rise7–12Finished2018
Strathtulloh Primary SchoolStrathtullohP–6Finished2022
Tarneit Plains Primary School (interim name)TruganinaP–6Planning2026 (planned)
Tarneit Rise Primary SchoolTarneitP–6Finished2018
Tarneit Senior CollegeTarneit10–12Finished2018
Thornhill Park Primary SchoolThornhill ParkP–6Finished2023
Toolern Waters Primary School (interim name)Weir ViewsP–6Planning2026 (planned)
Topirum Primary SchoolClyde NorthP–6Finished2024
Torquay Coast Primary SchoolTorquayP–6Finished2018
Tulliallan Primary SchoolCranbourne NorthP–6Finished2017
Turrun Primary SchoolClyde NorthP–6Under construction2025 (planned)
Walcom Ngarrwa Secondary CollegeWerribee7–12Finished2024
Wallan East Primary School (interim name)WallanP–6Planning2026 (planned)
Wangaratta District Specialist School – New Benalla CampusClyde NorthUnder construction2024 (planned)
Warreen Primary SchoolTruganinaP–6Finished2024
Wayi SchoolCraigieburnFinished2023
Wilandra Rise Primary SchoolClyde NorthP–6Finished2017
Willowbank Primary SchoolGisborneP–6Finished2022
Wimba Primary SchoolTarneitP–6Finished2024
Wirrigirri Primary SchoolWollertP–6Under construction2025 (planned)
Wollert Primary SchoolWollertP–6Finished2022
Wollert Andrews Road Primary School (interim name)WollertP–6Planning2026 (planned)
Wollert Secondary CollegeWollert East7–12Finished2023
Wulerrp Secondary CollegeClyde North7–12Under construction2025 (planned)
Yarrabing Secondary SchoolAintree7–12Finished2024
Yubup Primary SchoolMicklehamP–6Finished2024

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cain (41st Premier of Victoria)</span> Australian politician

John Cain was an Australian politician who was the 41st Premier of Victoria, in office from 1982 to 1990 as leader of the Labor Party. During his time as premier, reforms were introduced such as liberalised shop trading hours and liquor laws, equal opportunity initiatives, and occupational health and safety legislation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prahran</span> Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Prahran, is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Stonnington local government area. Prahran recorded a population of 12,203 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V/Line</span> Australian railway company

V/Line is a statutory authority that operates regional passenger rail and coach services in the Australian state of Victoria. It provides passenger train services on five commuter routes and eight long-distance services from its major hub at Southern Cross railway station in Melbourne. It also provides coach bus services across Victoria and into New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. In addition, V/Line is responsible for the maintenance of the Victorian freight and passenger rail network outside of the areas managed by Metro Trains Melbourne and the Australian Rail Track Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northcote High School</span> School in Northcote, Victoria, Australia

Northcote High School is a co-educational, state secondary school in Northcote, Victoria, Australia. It is situated at the southern end of the City of Darebin, on St Georges Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria (state)</span> State of Australia

Victoria, commonly abbreviated as Vic, is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state, with a land area of 227,444 km2 (87,817 sq mi); the second-most-populated state, with a population of over 6.7 million; and the most densely populated state in Australia. Victoria's economy is the second-largest among Australian states and is highly diversified, with service sectors predominating.

Richmond High School is a high school located in the Melbourne, Australia suburb of Richmond. Its predecessor, Richmond Secondary College, was the centre of a public protest and occupation of the site after it was listed for closure by the Liberal Kennett Government in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashwood High School</span> Public school in Ashwood, Victoria, Australia

Ashwood High School is a co-educational public school located in Ashwood, Victoria, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Merlino</span> Australian politician

James Anthony Merlino is a former Australian politician who served as 28th deputy premier of Victoria from 2014 to 2022 under Premier Daniel Andrews. He was the deputy leader of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 2012 to 2022 and a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the division of Monbulk from 2002 until his retirement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North East Link</span> Tollway under construction in Melbourne

The North East Link is an under construction 10–kilometre tolled highway scheme in Melbourne, Australia. It will connect the Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough with the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen, which will be upgraded from Hoddle Street to Springvale Road at Nunawading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Fowles</span> Australian politician

Will Fowles is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since November 2018, initially representing the seat of Burwood in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Ahead of the 2022 Victorian state election, the seat of Burwood was abolished by Victoria's Electoral Boundaries Commission, leading Fowles to stand for the seat of Ringwood, where he resides with his family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro Tunnel</span> Underground rapid transit project in Melbourne, Australia

The Metro Tunnel, formerly known as Melbourne Metro Rail (MMR), is an underground heavy rail project currently under construction in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It involves the construction of twin 9-kilometre (5.6 mi) rail tunnels between South Kensington and South Yarra with five new underground stations. The tunnel will connect the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines with the Sunbury line, creating a new high-frequency cross-city line that bypasses Flinders Street station and the City Loop. The line is also planned to serve Melbourne Airport via a new branch line west of Sunshine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light Timber Construction schools</span> Type of school building 1954–1977, Victoria

Light Timber Construction was the name given to a standardised architectural design used for the construction of hundreds of state school buildings in Victoria, Australia, between 1954 and 1977. LTC school buildings were designed for speed of construction, uniform appearance and low cost. In the 2000s with growing enrolments especially in Melbourne many LTC school buildings were either being demolished and replaced, or refurbished, and so intact original examples are becoming rare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalie Hutchins</span> Australian politician

Natalie Maree Hutchins, also known as Natalie Sykes-Hutchins, is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2010, representing the electorates of Keilor (2010–2014) and Sydenham (2014–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Victorian state election</span> Australian state election

The 2014 Victorian state election, held on Saturday, 29 November 2014, was for the 58th Parliament of Victoria. All 88 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly and 40 seats in the Victorian Legislative Council were up for election. The incumbent centre-right Coalition minority government, led by Liberal Party leader and Premier Denis Napthine and National Party leader and Deputy Premier Peter Ryan, was defeated by the centre-left Labor Party opposition, led by Daniel Andrews. The Greens won two lower house seats, their first Legislative Assembly seats in a Victorian state election, whilst increasing their share of upper house seats. The new Andrews Ministry was sworn in on 4 December 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Victorian state election</span> Election for the 59th Parliament of Victoria

The 2018 Victorian state election was held on Saturday, 24 November 2018 to elect the 59th Parliament of Victoria. All 88 seats in the Legislative Assembly and all 40 seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The first-term incumbent Labor government, led by Premier Daniel Andrews, won a second four-year term, defeating the Liberal/National Coalition opposition, led by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy in a landslide victory. Minor party the Greens led by Samantha Ratnam also contested the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Level Crossing Removal Project</span> Infrastructure program of the government of Victoria, Australia

The Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) is an infrastructure upgrade program by the Government of Victoria, Australia, to remove and grade-separate 110 level crossings and to rebuild 51 railway stations on the metropolitan and regional rail network of the state capital Melbourne. The project aims to improve network efficiency, rail safety, and reduce traffic congestion.

The Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) is a former department of the Government of Victoria. It was created on 1 January 2015 by the government of Premier Daniel Andrews when the number of government departments was reduced from 9 to 7, and assumed responsibility for ministerial portfolios previously spread across 5 departments. It was abolished at the end of 2018 and divided into two new departments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail Projects Victoria</span> Government agency

Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) was a project team of the Government of Victoria, Australia, responsible for the management of certain major infrastructure projects on the Victorian rail network, such as Metro Tunnel, Regional Rail Revival and Melbourne Airport Rail. Originally established as the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority (MMRA), to deliver the Melbourne Metro Rail Project, the office was later expanded in its responsibilities to include the management and planning of a number of major infrastructure programs on V/Line's regional rail services. In January 2019, it was renamed to RPV to reflect its expanded scope. It also ceased to be an independent office and became a project team within the Department of Transport and Planning's Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (MITA).

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) is a government department in Victoria, Australia. Commencing operation on 1 January 2019 as the Department of Transport (DOT), the DOT was formed in machinery of government changes made by Premier Daniel Andrews after the re-election of his Labor government at the 2018 Victorian state election. The re-shuffle saw the "super-ministry" Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources abolished and its functions reassigned to the DOT and Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Atkinson, Victoria</span> Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Mount Atkinson is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km (14 mi) northwest of the Melbourne central business district, located within the City of Melton local government area.

References

  1. "Victorian Government Directory".
  2. 1 2 "About us". Victorian School Building Authority. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  3. Anderson, Stephanie (8 August 2016). "Sod turned on Melbourne's first 'vertical' public school". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  4. Cook, Henrietta (3 March 2017). "Going high on High Street, Prahran with $25m vertical school to hit the heights". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  5. Alcorn, Gay (26 October 2014). "Victorian election: Labor promises $1.3bn in education funding". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  6. 1 2 Willingham, Richard (26 April 2016). "Victorian state budget 2016: Labor pledges $1.1 billion education spending blitz". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  7. Cook, Jewel Topsfield and Henrietta (4 August 2014). "Labor promises new high school for Richmond". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  8. Cook, Henrietta (17 January 2016). "Schools shortage crisis hits Victoria". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Cook, Henrietta (21 February 2017). "Richmond's $43m, really high school gets off the ground, aims to be open by 2018". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  10. Spooner, Rania (22 October 2016). "Fight to save hundreds of trees at future Beaumaris Secondary College site". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  11. 1 2 Cook, Adam Carey, Henrietta (7 November 2018). "Labor promises 100 new schools in $850m election pledge". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. Johnston, Matthew (7 November 2018). "Labor pledges 100 new schools for Victoria". Herald Sun.
  13. Nicholson, Ralph (21 July 2022). "Next Step Taken in $1.8bn Schools Infrastructure Plan". The Urban Developer. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  14. 1 2 Carey, Adam (24 October 2022). "Labor makes $1.6b pledge to build and upgrade schools across the state". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  15. ArchitectureAU, Editorial (30 March 2017). "Victorian government to court architects for school building boom". Architecture Australia.
  16. 1 2 3 Editorial, ArchitectureAU (1 May 2018). "Architects invited to join Victoria's prefab schools blitz". Architecture Australia.
  17. Hunn, Patrick (6 March 2018). "Victoria's first vertical school rings in the academic year". Architecture Australia.
  18. Bend, Fishermans (10 August 2018). "Work begins on new park for Fishermans Bend". Fishermans Bend. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  19. "South Melbourne Primary School will feature no formal classrooms says architect Ann Lau". Dezeen. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  20. ArchitectureAU, Editorial (22 November 2016). "Australian project tops the world at WAF". Architecture Australia.
  21. 1 2 Cheng, Linda (7 March 2017). "New Melbourne vertical school unveiled". Architecture Australia.
  22. "Prahran High School | Victorian School Building Authority". www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  23. Sier, Kirsty (22 November 2017). ""Nourishing, balanced and sustainable": Masterplan revealed for Docklands Primary School". Architecture & Design. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  24. Smethurst, Annika (15 June 2022). "Kindergarten to get a $9b overhaul, with more places and longer hours". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  25. Lucas, Freya (20 November 2022). "Vic Government to build 50 low-cost ECEC services if re-elected: locations announced". The Sector. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  26. "50 childcare centres for Victoria | Victorian School Building Authority". www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  27. "We'll open 50 new childcare centres". Dan Andrews. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  28. "Projects in my area | Victorian School Building Authority". www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 25 March 2023.