Epworth HealthCare and Deakin University are committed to considering the needs of local residents and businesses through an extensive planning and community consultation process.
A comprehensive consultation program has been undertaken by the Epworth Geelong Teaching Hospital Project Team in order to provide a robust level of understanding of community views regarding the proposal to rezone to the 8.8ha parcel of land at Pigdons Road and develop a Teaching Hospital.
The Project Team engaged with target audiences by implementing a consultation program, which was agreed with the City of Greater Geelong. The program included information sessions and community meetings with local residents, the City of Greater Geelong (Officers and Councillors), and Deakin University staff.
Plans and information about the proposal were provided in a brochure and on this website.
Key messages from the consultation process
- Considerable community and Council support for a new Teaching Hospital on the subject site, and recognition of the wider community benefits of a hospital in this location
- General support for the site layout and building forms, with significant landscaped setbacks to Pidgons Road
- Key concerns from local residents is the provision of sufficient car parking on the site, and potential for exacerbation of the current situation where non-residents (students) park within nearby residents street
- Some local residents also requested that Pigdons Road be widened or duplicated via a slip lane to be provided on the Deakin University Campus.
Responses from the project team
Over the course of the consultation period, the Epworth Geelong Project Team responded by modifying the proposed design in the following ways:
- Providing a design layout that complements the garden campus character of the Deakin University Campus, with built form and loading areas well setback from Pigdons Road and adjacent residential areas (approximately 200 metres to the east)
- Ensuring that car parking provided on-site exceeds both the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme rates and calculations using a planning tool developed by the Department of Health
- Negotiating with the City of Greater Geelong to investigate a free, parking permit system for nearby residential areas to improve the existing condition and limit inappropriate non-residential parking in their streets post-development
- Investigating projected traffic movements in a post-development scenario (with allowance for additional non-hospital growth in the area). Results of analysis show that Pigdons Road has sufficient capacity to accommodate the additional traffic movements (including at the network peak times).
- Inclusion of a signalised intersection at the northern site access from Pigdons Road. To provide a more efficient operation, residents requested a left turn slip lane be included to assist traffic exit University Drive to Pigdons Road. The resident adjacent to the proposed slip lane has subsequently objected, given proximity of the slip lane to their rear fence. The slip lane has been included in the proposed submission, and the Epworth Geelong team will take guidance on the matter from the City of Greater Geelong
- Committing to appropriately acoustically treat loading and services areas to ensure that noise is appropriately mitigated.
For further information about the submissions received during the community consultation process, please download the document below.
To speak to a project team member, please contact phone 03 9426 6042.