Funds to ease squeeze

All up, Halls Head Community College received $30 million for new buildings.

The school’s current capacity is 675 students, but 843 students are enrolled.

Building projects at the school will increase capacity to 1400 students.

In the 2013-14 financial year, $16 million will go to specialist facilities and general learning areas for students in years 11 and 12.

This money also allows for a revamp of some areas of the school. An estimated $10.6 million will go to an eight-room classroom block for Year 7 students.

The project will go to tender this month, with construction to start mid October.

The Year 7 component will be ready in time for the 2015 school year and the remaining senior school works completed during 2015.

Budget figures also included $6 million for the new primary school in Lakelands.

Peel Health Campus will benefit from an injection of $1.1 million for new theatres, according to a State Government media statement.

A spokeswoman from Ramsay Health Care said the budget money was to ensure the rooms remain fit for purpose and was not part of the proposed redevelopment of the campus.

‘However, one of Ramsay Health Care’s top priorities at present is to develop a proposal for Government with the view to working together to expand the public hospital to service the local community, as well as establish a separate private hospital on the Peel site,’ she said.