Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA)
Location
Multiple Local Government areas including: Bass Coast, Cardinia, Casey, Greater Geelong, Hume, Macedon Ranges, Melton, Mitchell, Whittlesea, Wodonga & Wyndham.
Overview
The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) is part of the Victorian Department of Education and works to identify land for potential future government school sites, develop primary and secondary schools, and to modernise existing schools and kindergartens. In growth areas, the VSBA works with other government agencies, including the Victorian Planning Authority, to identify locations for future government schools. This process involves feasibility investigations including site suitability assessments to determine site constraints.
Following identification of school sites, the VSBA works with developers and landowners to acquire the land designated for development as a government school. The VSBA will then coordinate the construction and opening of schools, providing much needed services to developing and established communities.
Work Undertaken
Beveridge Williams provides multi-disciplinary services to the VSBA to assist in the identification, acquisition, and development of government school sites. Our Town Planning, Surveying, Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering teams, in conjunction with specialist sub-consultants, work to undertake site suitability assessments to determine any constraints impacting potential future school sites. This work assists the VSBA in their decision-making process for the selection of school sites.
Following from the site suitability phase, Beveridge Williams’ Town Planning, Urban Design and Civil Engineering teams work with the VSBA to assist in the site acquisition process. This includes undertaking planning reviews of vendor prepared valuation plans (known as Hypothetical Development Plans), as well as the preparation of Hypothetical Development Plans by our Urban Design team for the VSBA to present to vendors.
As part of this process, Beveridge Williams uses our extensive knowledge of preferred subdivision design outcomes within Local Government Areas to assess and prepare Hypothetical Development Plans which demonstrate highest and best use for the site. Our knowledge of development patterns and Precinct Structure Plan requirements throughout various Council areas allows us to prepare Hypothetical Development Plans that can be supported by Council, and our established relationships with Councils allow us to obtain commentary on proposed layouts to ensure that the valuation process is reflective of achievable subdivision outcomes.
Our Civil Engineering team works to prepare Development Cost Estimates for supplied or prepared Hypothetical Development Plans, to further assist in the valuation and acquisition process.