The successful delivery of a medical centre often begins with a well-prepared planning application that addresses both site-specific constraints and the broader planning objectives of the municipality. For this project, we acted on behalf of our client to prepare and lodge a planning permit application with the City of Greater Bendigo for the development of a medical centre (dental clinic).
The subject site was vacant at the time of the application, having previously contained two single- storey dwellings that had been demolished to make way for the proposed development. Our involvement commenced with a preliminary town planning assessment to identify the relevant planning controls, constraints and approval requirements before the application was prepared. One of the key considerations was that the land is identified as having potential Aboriginal CulturalHeritage Significance. Following our r eview of the site’s history, it was established that the previous demolition of the dwellings and extensive site preparation had significantly disturbed the land. As a
result, there was no reasonable likelihood that the site would still contain Aboriginal cultural heritage artefacts or evidence of previous occupation.
The property was also affected by a Section 173 Agreement, which had been registered as part of an earlier planning permit for an eight-lot subdivision. We carefully reviewed the agreement and addressed its requirements within the planning application to ensure the proposal remained consistent with the existing planning obligations.
Our team prepared the town planning report, coordinated the supporting documentation and managed the planning permit application on our client’s behalf. The project demonstrates the importance of identifying planning constraints early and developing a clear application strategy, helping streamline the assessment process and supporting the delivery of an important new healthcare facility for the local community.
