Lovell renews calls for land purchase next to Toolamba Primary School

By Shepparton News

Mar 27, 2023

Future-proofing: Wendy Lovell says the school needs room to grow. Photo by Megan Fisher

State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell has renewed calls for the Victorian Government to future-proof Toolamba Primary School by purchasing a vacant block of land adjacent to the school.

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Ms Lovell first raised the purchasing of the land in December 2021 and said the school council had since submitted a business case supporting the purchase to the Victorian Schools Building Authority.

In her latest contribution to Education Minister Natalie Hutchins, Ms Lovell said a local family had offered the land to the school at approximately 50 per cent of its market value and the block had been valued in September 2022 at $220,000.

It has been determined that the land contains contaminated soil, with de-contamination costs estimated at $113,000.

Ms Lovell said while news of the contamination was disappointing, the purchase of the land was a chance to future-proof Toolamba Primary School that could not be missed.

“Toolamba is in a high growth area and the currently landlocked primary school is expected to grow significantly in the future,” Ms Lovell said.

“The vacant land will future-proof Toolamba Primary School and I call on the minister to provide the full funding to purchase and de-contaminate the block of land.”