Western suburbs hospital, health hub planned for Victoria University’s Footscray campus

A NEW Footscray Hospital is likely to be built on Victoria University’s grounds as part of a Steve Bracks-led campaign that would overhaul Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Steve Bracks is supporting plans for the new Footscray hospital and health hub. Picture: Jay Town

EXCLUSIVE: A $2 billion hospital and health hub is being planned to overhaul Footscray under a proposed partnership between the Andrews Government and Victoria University.

Under plans brokered by former premier Steve Bracks, the government is considering co-locating a new Footscray hospital, worth an estimated $1.4 billion, at the university’s Ballarat Rd campus.

Victoria University could undertake a $300 million redevelopment of its campus to establish a new College of Health and Biomedicine connected via a bridge to the new hospital, if the plan is signed off by the government.

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A view of the site for the proposed hospital and health hub. Picture: Jay Town

An economic impact assessment of the proposal prepared by the West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance, which is chaired by Mr Bracks, also states it is “likely” a $300 million private hospital would be established on the site of the university’s current car park.

The Andrews Government has already announced that it plans to build a new Footscray hospital and, although it is still weighing up three sites, the Victoria University proposal is believed to be its preferred option.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy told the Herald Sun the government was yet to make a decision on the site.

“We are undertaking a comprehensive assessment of different sites for the future Footscray hospital to get the best possible outcome for the community,” she said.

The Victoria University proposal has been discussed with ministers. Picture: George Salpigtidis

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Premier Daniel Andrews committed $50 million to begin planning and potentially purchase land for a new Footscray hospital in May’s Budget, and may announce the scope and location of the project in coming months.

The Footscray hospital-Victoria University proposal has already been discussed with ministers, but was publicly ­released tonight by Mr Bracks as part of a wider WoMEDA jobs strategy launch attended by Employment Minister Ben Carroll.

“From an economic development point of view, this is the preferred one because it has the synergy with Victoria University,” Mr Bracks told the Herald Sun.

“This would have greater job impacts and the economic modelling ... shows an extra 2000 jobs would be created.

“The government will ultimately decide on the site, and if it is not this site we are proposing, we will work with them and it will still have economic benefit.”

The economic impact analysis of the proposal is based on a $1.4 billion Footscray hospital development projected as required to meet rising demand in the west.

The Andrews Government is also believed to be evaluating a redevelopment of the current Western Health site in Footscray, as well as a site in Maribyrnong, near the Highpoint shopping centre.

As well as establishing Footscray as a health cluster under the first stage of the jobs blueprint, Mr Bracks said a Werribee “education city”, Footscray sports-arts precinct and plans for Sunshine to house the regional rail and airport rail link as the “Paramatta of Melbourne” were needed to provide jobs for 100,000 extra working people arriving in Melbourne by 2030.

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The Footscray Hospital-Victoria University proposal includes:

• A new Footscray Hospital worth up to $1.4 billion

• A $300 million College of Health and Biomedicine at Victoria University

• A private hospital of medical services worth up to $300 million

• 2000 ongoing full-time jobs in the health precinct

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