Brimbank council is at odds with the state government about rezoning three former school sites.
The government wants to rezone former Kealba Secondary College as well as Calder Rise and Keilor Park primary schools and “undeveloped school land” in Taylors Lakes, from public use to general residential which would allow for unit and townhouse developments.
The Department of Education and Training (DET) has deemed the land surplus to its requirements.
The council has called for the three sites to be zoned neighbourhood residential.
Virginia Tachos, a candidate for the council election in October, said the sites should stay in public hands for future education, community, sports and recreation needs.
“The loss of this land will not hurt immediately, but will impact in the medium to long term,” she said.
“Given the existing pressures on numbers in our local schools, the sale of former school sites is a short-sighted measure on the part of DET, which is putting greed before the future needs of education infrastructure for the west.”
Ms Tachos said new zoning was all about “maximising the dollar return through high- density development, which will have a bigger cost to the community”.
Community access is limited to reserves in the southern areas of Brimbank, the council’s recent sports facility development plan revealed.
It states: “There are over 60 schools throughout Brimbank that council could approach in the future to discuss joint use arrangements”.
Planning Minister Richard Wynne said “an independent and open process” had included consultation with the community and stakeholders.
