Tendering for new school
BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.
The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.
The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.
“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,
“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.
“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”
Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.
“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.
“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.”
James Lerk | Bendigo Weekly | 20-Oct-2011
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CLASS ACT: The new State schools provided more spacious accommodation for students and teachers.
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Even though the Education Act had come into force in the colony of Victoria in 1873, it required a massive amount of organisation for the new Education Department to arrange schooling for the children of the state.
The initial option which had been largely adopted by many of the National as well as the Denominational schools was to be taken over by the Education Department, as was the case with the St John’s School situated in Lucan Street, Irishtown.
With schooling having become compulsory, it meant that in almost all instances, the earlier schools were inadequate in their accommodation to cope with the sudden increase in enrolments.
This was also the case of the former St John’s School which had now become State School 325 Irishtown.
Land for a new school building had been set aside on the corner of Nolan and Smith streets, being a large block on the crest of the hill, situated north of the main Irishtown settlement, affording a view of the Tyson’s Reef Mine to the south, and the gas works a few hundred metres further away on Bendigo Flat.
The local Board of Advice had a difficult task with so many requests to be attended to in respect of school accommodation.
Not deterred, the Board of Advice oversaw the placement of advertisements calling for tenders for schools throughout the district.
As mentioned some weeks ago, St John’s School had been in the charge of Thomas Reid and his wife.
As a result, he was appointed head teacher of the new State School 325 Irishtown, even though he was still in the same building where he had been for a number of years previously working under the banner of the Church of England.
Mr A. McIntyre had written to the Secretary of the Education Department on June 9, 1873 as follows: “Sir, I have the honour to submit Tenders for the above school for your consideration.
“The time for completion being short namely June 28th ‘73 (1873).
“The tenders of Messrs Kennedy and Anderson is reasonable and recommend that it be accepted without delay.
“This tender does not include any furniture which will require to be further provided for.
“Received cheque for £20 as deposit from Messrs Kennedy and Anderson as security for the due completion of the works.
“Please instruct whether I can pay this money into any of the Banks hear (sic) or forward to the dept.”. signed A McIntyre.
Readers may be interested in the tenders as submitted. They were: Kennedy and Anderson £413, Robert Wilkinson £433, E. P. Newcombe £520, Robert Jeffrey, well known Eaglehawk timber supplier and contractor, £546 and finally George Pallett, a well established Bendigo contractor who had completed a number of public works buildings in Bendigo. His tender was £642.
As can be seen the prices between the highest and lowest contract submitted showed a difference of almost 50 per cent.
To have received this many quotes for the period is interesting, as at the time most contractors were still very
busy. As a follow-on from the mining boom of 1871-1872, house construction was at an all-time time high.
Accommodation at the St John’s School was so unbelievably cramped, it caused parents and guardians to take up a petition amongst themselves, beginning on June 22, 1873.
In the two days the petition ran a great number of signatures were collected. The petition was sent with the assurance that they were all genuine and “that the prayer of the petition” be met.
BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.
The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.
The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.
“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,
“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.
“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”
Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.
“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.
“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.”
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