Council approves Torquay hospital build, with conditions

THE Surf Coast Shire council has agreed to the planning arrangements surrounding the coming Torquay Community Hospital, but with some conditions attached.

To be located on land at the south-east corner of the Surf Coast Highway/South Beach Road intersection in Torquay North, the small public hospital will be constructed by the Victorian Hospital Building Authority (VHBA) and is expected to open in 2024.

Under the Planning and Environment Act, the Victorian Health Minister can exempt themselves from needing a planning permit from Surf Coast Planning Scheme, and the hospital is proposed to be built this way.

The VHBA have sought a letter of support from the council acknowledging the hospital will be developed under these exemption powers, and councillors considered the draft letter at their meeting on Tuesday last week.

The draft letter, from shire chief executive officer Robyn Seymour to VHBA chief executive officer Robert Fiske, stated the shire was in support of the minister’s proposal, “subject to the following requests”.

These include:

• A detailed communications plan about the design and construction of the hospital to be developed and implemented immediately
• Early and meaningful consultation with the Traditional Owners of the land on the hospital’s design
• The hospital having an environmentally sustainable design
• The hospital connecting and integrating with the development plan for the Stretton Park estate, including pedestrian connections, and
• Early consultation with the shire’s engineers about stormwater management in relation to the Karaaf wetlands, and Sufficient car parking.

At their meeting, councillors resolved to authorise Ms Seymour to send the letter.

Cr Rose Hodge said the communications plan was important not only for nearby residents, but for the wider population of Torquay.

“They’d really like to be brought up to speed with anything that’s happening.

“The built form should be sustainable and a good design, which I’m sure it will be, because we’ve got to be looking at [how] this hospital will be the new gateway coming into Torquay.

“And with that, there’ll be landscaping. I am hoping that the landscaping around that area improves that site, but also that roundabout at the start of Torquay.”

Cr Hodge then said, in jest, that the South Beach Road roundabout was “the ugliest roundabout in the Southern Hemisphere”.

The state government took possession of the land at 110 South Beach Road in February this year.