Construction of the new Taylors Hill Secondary College at Plumpton will start next year.
The state government is finalising the purchase of land at 135 City Vista Court for a years 7-12 secondary school.
The school is due to open for the 2018 school year, with the construction tenders to go out soon, an education department spokesman said.
“The Victorian government allocated $12 million in the last budget for construction of the new Taylors Hill Secondary College,” he said.
“It is one of 42 new schools the government is delivering across the state, following a record investment in school infrastructure.”
At a special council meeting earlier this month, Melton council removed planning restrictions from the City Vista Court site so the education department could acquire the land.
In their report to the meeting, council officers stated that removing the restrictions was “warranted”.
“Ending of the agreements will pave the way for the land to become unencumbered, and will result in the acquisition of the land by the Department of Education and Training for the purpose of a state secondary school in this fast-growing area,” the report states.
The site is located in the Taylors Hill West precinct structure plan area.
The land is 6.12 hectares, with 2.19 hectares of the site to be used for a government school, and 2.75 hectares to be used for a non-governmental education facility.
The remaining 1.18 hectares will be used for waterway, drainage and conservation areas.
Council officers told the meeting a small portion of the land was considered to be of “cultural heritage sensitivity”.
It had been subject to “significant ground disturbance”, their report stated, and therefore did not require a cultural heritage management plan.
Prior to the 2014 election, the state government made a commitment for a years 10-12 senior college. But Sydenham MP Natalie Hutchins said, after talking to the community, it was “evident” a years 7-12 school was needed.
“The new secondary school at Taylors Hill will meet the needs of our growing community, and give local families greater peace of mind,” she said.
“By investing locally, the Victorian Labor Government is making sure every community in Victoria has great schools and every child gets the chance to succeed.”
