Eltham area Community Hospital online information session

Each site option is assessed against the site selection criteria (which are uniform across all community hospital sites). The criteria include:

• Site features - such as land size and shape, topography, availability of water, electricity and other services.
• Location - including whether the land is within the desired area, proximity to related health or community services, and the potential impact of noise or traffic on nearby residents and/or businesses.
• Planning requirements - such as zoning, site overlays or restrictions.
• Availability for acquisition - such as whether the land is for sale, available at a reasonable price and available within the time period required.
• Site access - such as street frontage, proximity to public transport and complementary services, major arterial roads and walkability.

A council-owned parcel of land at the Nillumbik Council Facilities Complex, Greensborough, has been identified as the preferred location for the Eltham area Community Hospital.

An extensive site selection process was undertaken, that identified several sites, before the preferred location was chosen. Numerous criteria were considered including site features, accessibility for clients, the benefits of the location and planning considerations.

Exact property dimensions subject to surveyor assessment

Benefits of the preferred site

The preferred site has many benefits including:

• ability to service locals living in Nillumbik and Banyule Local Government Areas by being located in the centre of the Eltham catchment area
• improves local access to a range of health services so people don’t have to travel out of the area to get the services they need
• creates a network of services between Austin Hospital, Northern Hospital, as well as the new City of Whittlesea and expanded Craigieburn Community Hospitals
• the existing surrounding parkland provides a therapeutic environment for patients, staff and visitors
• excellent road access to Greensborough Bypass, providing easy links to the Western Ring Road and North East Link
• the opportunity to leverage existing community services including the Nillumbik Shire Council offices, Diamond Valley Library and the Sports and Fitness Centre and activate a vibrant hub of essential services.

How we find land for your community hospital

Identifying a site is a complex and time-consuming process.

The Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) works with the Department of Health, the Health Service, local council and other key stakeholders to identify potential options for each community hospital and select the preferred location.

1. Identify – We scan the area for potentially suitable sites and the Site Evaluation Committee (made up of experts from the VHBA, Department of Health and the health service) assesses options against the Site Selection Criteria. The committee then shortlists the preferred sites for decision by the Minister for Health.

2. Investigate – We undertake due diligence investigations on the preferred location to confirm the suitability of the site. This may include town planning, valuations, traffic and parking analysis and building test fit.

3. Acquire – The Victorian Government then moves to acquire the site to enable delivery of the project.