17,000 job

By Bridget Brady
TWO primary schools and a secondary school will be built in the 800- hectare Cranbourne West precinct. The Cranbourne West Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) is expected to create up to 17,000 new jobs in a “smart and skilled” employment area.
But Casey’s strategic development manager Liam Hodgetts said the PSP would integrate living as well as working environments with the creation of a new residential community.
About 250 hectares has been set aside for residential use that is expected to accommodate 3900 new households.
“A new residential community with strong connections to the existing Cranbourne West community will provide residential land that delivers housing types and lifestyle opportunities sought by a broad cross-section of professionals, skilled tradespeople and manual workers,” Mr Hodgetts said.
Medical centres, learning centres, sporting fields and retail facilities will be among the facilities.
Mayfield Ward councillor Amanda Stapledon said the three schools would all be government schools. “I am very excited about the Cranbourne West Precinct Structure Plan. Cranbourne will be an exciting place to work and live,” Cr Stapledon said.
Mr Hodgetts said the “smart and skilled” employment area would provide diverse employment opportunities. “The precinct has been planned to deliver in the longer term a smart and skilled employment area that complements, rather than replicates, industrial development in the Southern Industrial Node,” Mr Hodgetts said.
“Planning for the precinct seeks to produce an integrated living and working environment that fosters a diverse and dynamic blend of lifestyle and commerce opportunities, unprecedented in an outer suburban location.”
The PSP will be generally bounded by Thompsons Road to the north, Western Port Highway to the west, Ballarto Road Reserve to the south and Evan Road and Cranbourne-Frankston Road in the east.
There are three other schools planned to be built in Mayfield Ward area, including a primary school in Marriot Waters, a catholic school in Lynbrook and a primary school at Cranbourne North West. Council will receive recommendations from a planning process panel in July to finalise the PSP before submission to the Minster for Planning for approval.