By Casey Neill
A new medical centre is set to ease the squeeze on the sector in Springvale.
Greater Dandenong councillors approved the application for a four-storey building at 4 St John’s Avenue at their Monday 9 October meeting.
The proposal included a ground floor car park with 21 car spaces, and a two-bedroom dwelling on the third floor.
The medical centre would operate 8am to 10pm Monday to Sunday, with a maximum of six people providing health services from the site at any time.
Councillor Matthew Kirwan said the residential dwelling on the top floor seemed out of place.
City planning, design and amenity director Jody Bosman disagreed.
“Every piece of information that we have is that it will be occupied as a dwelling,” he said.
He said the unit had two bedrooms and two bathrooms and was 180 square metres in size.
“As an apartment goes, that’s pretty large,” he said.
Mr Bosman also said that the site was right on the edge of the Springvale activity centre in the residential growth zone and close to several other medical services.
He said the application went beyond the necessary thresholds and wasn’t currently used for residential purposes.
“It’s not inconsistent with established uses in the area,” he said.
Mr Bosman said the area had a growing population and access to public transport, and the application would provide a community benefit.
Cr Sean O’Reilly said medical services in Springvale were in high demand.
“This facility will assist with that need in Springvale and the surrounding area,” he said.
“We’re actually starting to see in Springvale a medical precinct develop along the lines of David Street in Dandenong, which is needed.”
