Two thousand new homes, a private hospital, an aged care facility and a childcare centre have been slated for development on the site of a former quarry and landfill in Epping.
Developer Riverlee is planning a $1.2 billion mixed-use community for the 51-hectare site on Cooper Street, next to the Northern Hospital.
Whittlesea council recently resolved to write to Planning Minister Richard Wynne requesting for an amendment to its planning scheme to allow the development to proceed.
The amendment will be subject to the outcome of an environmental audit of the site.
The development has been dubbed “new Epping” by Riverlee, with development director David Lee saying the project would deliver a host of new and vital infrastructure to the area.
The project will also include 80,000 square metres of commercial space and more than 11 hectares of greenspace and recreational zones.
Mr Lee said “New Epping” would be home to Australia’s largest privately-funded health precinct, with more than seven hectares of land for a private hospital and healthcare options.
“The population of Melbourne’s northern growth corridor is expected to almost double in the next 15 years to accommodate over 1.1 million people. With this growth comes the critical need for a host of new services and infrastructure,” he said.
“Our aim will be to create more opportunities for the residents of Epping and the northern corridor to be able to live, work and access vital health and other services from within their own local surrounds.”
The project is expected to create 3100 jobs during construction and 3700 ongoing jobs if approved.
“A site such as this one is not without its challenges so we will be undertaking a rigorous investigation process to effectively evaluate and manage the site’s unique requirements, working closely with the council every step of the way,” Mr Lee said.
