Media Release from Martin Foley MP - including interviews with Sally Karlovic and NMPS students
NORTH MELBOURNE HOUSING RENEWAL WITH NEW LEARNING SPACES FOR NMPS
The State Government’s renewal of a North Melbourne public housing estate includes much needed, new education facilities and will help relieve pressure on local schools in the City of Melbourne, including North Melbourne PS.
The students were well received and the news of the redevelopment is very exciting. The students hope to be seen on the ABC or on Channel 9 tonight.
The Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing, Martin Foley inspected the North Melbourne Renewal Project, bordered by Abbotsford, Molesworth and Haines streets today and met with students from North Melbourne Primary School and their Principal, Sally Naylor.
As part of the development North Melbourne Primary may use some of the land in the short to medium term, to expand and upgrade its learning facilities in order to meet increased student demand.
A longer term vision for the site, including education facilities and a performing arts centre, will be developed in consultation with the broader community and educators.
The North Melbourne Renewal Project is part of the government’s $185 million investment to redevelop public housing properties at sites across metropolitan Melbourne.
They include Ascot Vale, West Heidelberg, Hawthorn, Brunswick, Brighton, Clifton Hill and Northcote.
Most of these are low-rise, typically rundown and have high maintenance costs. They will be replaced with a mix of apartments and townhouses that meet relevant building and energy efficiency standards.
The North Melbourne project will build 112 modern living facilities and increase the number of social housing properties on the estate by at least 10 per cent. The estate will include private housing, to help fund the project.
The existing walk-up buildings on the site were constructed in the 1960s without lifts, making them inaccessible for residents with disability or mobility issues and unsuitable for older residents and families with young children.
The renewal project plan also includes new outdoor facilities and community spaces and extensive landscaping.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley
“The Government is committed to redeveloping ageing public housing estates so we have modern, accessible and better connected neighbourhoods where people can live in housing that is safe and secure.”
“It was inspiring to meet with staff and students today from North Melbourne Primary School. This is about ensuring they and all students in the local community, have access to the state-of-the-art learning facilities they deserve.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino.
“We know our city is growing rapidly and we need education facilities to match that growth. That’s why this redevelopment is so important.”
Quotes attributable to North Melbourne Primary School Principal Sally Karlovic.
"The additional acquisition of land for the development of an education facility in the North Melbourne area will provide opportunities for 21st century teaching and learning experiences in this growing community of the inner city of Melbourne”.
Story by NMPS students guests.
We have just visited the Molesworth Street playground surrounded by residential units.
Six students met The Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing; Martin Foley he told them -
“That the Government is going to build new school facilities in Molesworth Street and we discussed an idea that the juniors should move there” said Catherine, year 2.
Archie said “Martin also told us about how Government housing works and how rent works in different places. He explained that the residents will move out for a short time and then they will have a choice to move back in to modernised units.”
“Martin Foley told us that our school was a bit crowded and had enrolment pressure and that he met with the Education Minister and they would expand the North Melbourne primary school” explained Thomas in year 3.
Adora said that she heard Minister Foley say “we should build some more classrooms for NMPS and to make that happen they are going to redevelop the flats".
“When we went to see the Minster I was scared because he might have been grumpy because of his stress but he turned out to be a nice gentleman” said Liban Year 6.
Freya in year 6 chose to go straight back to class as she had some uncompleted tasks.
