By Kate Breen and Pierre Vairo
Seven years since it was announced that Footscray’s dilapidated hospital on Eleanor Street was to be replaced by a fit for purpose facility, there has been no update (at the time of writing) on the future of this important piece of publicly acquired and owned land.
There has also been no realisation of previous commitments to consult on site development options.
When will community aspirations for a large, nature based park, with high quality medium density housing including a significant percentage of social and affordable housing, be realised?
When Reimagining Old Footscray Hospital Community Group formed our intention was for the site renewal to be driven by the aspirations of the community, and for the state and local government landowners to work collaboratively with us to co-develop a community precinct plan.
We understand the site is complex – asbestos ridden buildings, a heritage protected concrete bunker on Gordon Street, and the swath of carpark in between – on what was once a quarry and later a tip.
It is also a site of immense opportunity in an area lacking public open space when climate change impacts require more greenery, and a lack of affordable housing for vulnerable, lower income and increasingly, key workers in our community.
When we first asked the government what the plans were they advised, “we don’t know yet”.
At first this was an acceptable answer. As the new hospital grew taller our group held three face-to-face consultation sessions in 2022. Residents shared their vision and priorities for the site. Our volunteer architect articulated the community’s feedback into a concept plan for an exemplary mini suburb that caters for a diversity of inner westies, with a high emphasis on public outcomes.
The government took notice and in 2023 commenced their own consultation. A basic online survey sought our prioritisation of uses through multiple choice questions. We were promised a Community Reference Group, and told options for the site would be provided to the community for review by the end of 2025.
We were delighted when Maribyrnong Council released their advocacy plan for the site in 2024. As owner of approximately 18 per cent of the site, Council’s plan proposed a large piece of bushland, three-to-eight-storey medium density housing with 30 percent social housing, and remediation of the psychiatric building for community use.
Council’s concept has the bones of a masterplan for the entire site – one that caters for current and future residents and reflects community aspirations.
All attention then turned to the government’s response. Instead, in the hype of announcing the new hospital’s opening date, mention of the reference group was removed from the government’s website and no public updates were forthcoming.
A much welcomed meeting of group members with Development Victoria (responsible for planning the site) arranged by Katie Hall MP in December unfortunately did little to reassure us that community aspirations were being listened to, and there would be the desired consultation and range of public outcomes we believe the community is seeking.
Thus we find ourselves in February 2026, ready to welcome a new hospital, but the old site being prepared for hoarding, unsure what will happen to the old, with no timeline for when the community will be engaged in the masterplanning.
Over 100 years ago Footscray community members, fed up with the lack of a hospital in the west, resorted to fundraising to buy land for the government to eventually build the hospital on.
In what might be an ominous sign, that land sat unused for 30 years before the government of the day finally built Footscray its yellow brick hospital.
As we celebrate the new hospital opening, Reimagining Old Footscray Hospital community group is calling on the State Government to:
- Commit to detailed community consultation and co-development of a precinct plan for the entire former Footscray Hospital site.
- Deliver, by 2028, as a first community outcome, a park on what is currently a carpark in front of the former psychiatric building on Gordon Street.
- Deliver a major nature-based parkland over the former quarry as soon as site remediation has occurred.
- Remediate, by 2030, the former psychiatric building and transfer ownership to Maribyrnong Council for community use.
- Commit to invest and deliver a significant percentage of social and affordable housing as part of any future residential development.
- Publicise timeframes and commit resources to consultation, site masterplan finalisation, site remediation, rezoning, and development of community assets.
Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another 30 years to see this land regenerated for future public benefit.
Democracy is Dialogue.
Must be, with COMMUNITY – in the totally un-acceptable number of years the FUTURE of the “Old” Hospital site – its “new life” in providing for COMMUNITY being housing, park land or “other” but for COMMUNITY.
Asbestos – its re-moval, costing on tax payers, need for its re-moval for its human dangers and environmental – this is a MAJOR “blockage” that is causing what is a conundrum, the future for COMMUNITY use and development of the “Old” Hospital site.
It stands resembling a likewise scene of Gaza – that PEOPLE, tax payers, and “others” in DIALOGUE – the affording of local council and of Government Federal and State – listening to the people – COMMUNITY.
Journey back, when it was agreed to build the NEW Hospital – was left as clear DISCLOSURE by the Government – plans of what the out of the old for the new, what the “Old” Hospital was to be used for – for COMMUNITY ???
No – it was not because the building of the new its announcement – the “Old” Hospital its site NEVER, never, never FIRM plans in place for its COMMUNITY use.
Blame games – not of this Departments responsibilities – in local council and in the Political “circus” World – the down the hallway – room 11 – they may have answers ///.
People, tax payers, the POWER of Peoples voices – orderly, we must in SOLIDARITY ensure the future of the “Old” Hospital site – is for COMMUNITY what we as a COMMUNITY see of its Need.