The new Merrifield West Primary School is a step closer, with a site in Mickleham to be acquired as part of a $236.8 million investment by the Andrews Labor Government to buy the land needed to meet the future needs of Melbourne’s fastest growing communities.

Member for Yuroke Ros Spence today announced a site for the new Merrifield West Primary School would be acquired as part of a funding package to buy land for 14 new schools to build the school capacity needed to meet Melbourne’s growing needs.

The Labor Government is now delivering an unprecedented 64 new school projects across Victoria to meet the demand created by state’s population boom, with more than 90,000 school-aged children and teenagers predicted to call Victoria home by 2022.

This includes having already delivered the school infrastructure needed to meet the needs of Victoria’s growing student population until 2019 through an unprecedented $2.5 billion investment as part of the Education State.

The funding will buy land for schools across Melbourne’s booming inner and outer suburbs, including land in the growth areas of Clyde North, Cranbourne West, Mickleham, Deanside, Rockbank, Cobblebank, Wollert, Wyndham Vale and Pakenham.

A site will also be acquired in Seddon for a new Seddon Campus as part of the Footscray Learning Precinct.

The new school sites were identified following in-depth analysis of demographic data and enrolments at existing schools.

Locally, Labor has funded the construction of Newbury and Aitken Hill Primary Schools as well as the acquisition of land for Greenvale North West Primary School and Craigieburn South Secondary College.

Community engagement on the new schools will start in coming weeks, with details available at the Victoria School Building Authority website: www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au

Quotes attributable to Member for Yuroke Ros Spence:

“This is an important investment in the future of local kids by making sure they have access to a great education.”

“Mickleham is growing rapidly, and we are getting on with the job of delivering the new schools local families need.”

“When it opens, Merrifield West Primary School will be another great local school that the whole community can be proud of.”

Media contact: Ryan Moore | 9305 7177 | ryan.moore@parliament.vic.gov.au