Sunshine will become a ‘‘recognised centre for excellence’’ and a major driver of tertiary, health and retail employment under a state government strategy released last Wednesday.
Nominating the suburb as an emerging national employment area, the Plan Melbourne report recommends the creation of a health, well-being and education precinct centred around Sunshine Hospital.
Brimbank council administrator Jane Nathan said the report’s recommendation would make it easier to secure state and federal funding.
Chairman John Watson said Sunshine was the ideal location for a western suburbs version of the Monash health precinct.
“We have the hospitals, the tertiary campuses and the business land to achieve such a role,’’ he said. ‘‘Importantly, we have the public transport linkages and the town centres that comparable areas don’t have.
“[It will] put Sunshine on the map.’’
The 40-year plan finds that Sunshine has the potential to build a critical mass of tertiary education, health-related training, healthcare, retail and professional services.
“The cluster is well placed to tap into the growing municipalities of Melbourne’s west and diversify their education, research and health-related activities,” the report says.
The plan proposes rail connections from Sunshine to Melbourne and Avalon airports.
“The cluster’s strategic connectivity will continue to grow with recent announcements about Melbourne and Avalon airport rail routes confirming Sunshine will, in the future, have rail access to both these international gateways,” the report states. “Metro will provide a direct link from the cluster to Parkville and the south-eastern suburbs.”
RACV acting public policy general manager Thanuja Gunatillake said the inclusion of activity centres in Sunshine was positive, but substantial infrastructure investment would be required.
“The western suburbs are the fastest- growing area in metropolitan Melbourne and government-supported investment in an expanded activity centre in Sunshine is long overdue,” she said.
“The allocation of centres in Sunshine … must be supported by the timely provision of necessary infrastructure, from bicycle paths to bus and train services and road improvements.”
Western Health chief executive Alex Cockram said such a precinct in Sunshine could only lead to further improvement of health services in the west.
