Staff and students at Shepparton’s ACE Secondary College are fighting to keep their school a “safe and secure” place against a proposed neighbouring four-storey social housing development.
Greater Shepparton City Council released a proposal in December to sell the land above the Maude and Nixon St car park to Beyond Housing and Wintringham to be developed into a 30-unit social housing complex.
In a bid to “save the school”, ACE Secondary College hosted a meeting in protest on Monday to bring attention to how the proposed development would compromise the safety of staff and students.
Students wearing hi-vis “save our school” vests and carrying handmade placards fronted the Maude St campus — which only opened in April last year.
ACE Secondary College principal Bronwyn Rose said the proposal had been released with no communication or consultation with the school, local business owners or residing locals.
She said the development would severely impact all involved, making for a constant “horrible and stressful“ school experience.
“Our school will never give into a four-storey building because of the ramifications on our children’s educational experiences and wellbeing,” Ms Rose said.
“Our school will still be standing but what we could offer here would be vastly less safe and secure.”
The independent school is made up of 100 vulnerable students, many of which are unable to attend mainstream schools for a myriad of reasons.
Year 9 student Stanley Meredith and his family moved from Cobram so he could attend the college.
He said mainstream school would have been dire to not only his education, but to his mental and physical health.
The proposal comes in response to the homelessness crisis in the region, the latest data showed Shepparton to have the highest homeless rate in regional Victoria with 5.56 homeless persons per 1000 people.
While the school supports increasing social housing, Ms Rose said the location was not properly considered.
She said the structure would overshadow the campus, potentially compromising the privacy and safety of students.
“Anything overhanging or overlooking the yard affects our students, the four-storey building would have a view right into the school’s playground,” she said.
“These days you can film so easily with a phone, from windows or balconies, and some children are not allowed to be photographed at all, that’s a serious concern.”
Ms Rose said the development would also impede on the school’s fire safety plan with a fire exit at the rear of the building and many facilities underground.
She said there was cause for concern over accessing fire assistance if the need were to arise.
“We’ve had no information, no consultation — no businesses nor resident had any word,” she said.
Submissions can be emailed to council@shepparton.vic.gov.au, completed online at shaping.greatershepparton.com.au or submitted by post to Greater Shepparton City Council, Locked Bag 1000, Shepparton, VIC 3632. Submissions should be titled ‘Notice of Intention to Sell Land – Maude Nixon and Edward Streets Car Park’.
All submissions must be in writing and submitted by February 28 to be considered by council. Submitters may also request to be heard by council in support of their submission at a coming council meeting.