A Council-owned block of land at East Gosford is to be returned to the asset sales list after a brief hiatus while it was used for staff training.
The lot, at 9 Russell Drysdale St, was originally included as part of Tranche 3 of Central Coast Council’s Assets Sales Program on April 27, 2021, following community consultation completed on May 28.
The responses included 1,333 submissions via an online survey and 611 emails and letters.
On July 27, Council resolved not to continue with the sale process due to the site’s continued use at the time as a Council training facility.
However, Council did resolve at that time to sell the adjoining Council-owned land at 3 Albert St, East Gosford to St Joseph’s Catholic College.
Training at the site is now being phased out and alternative training facilities are being used.
The block is informally known as the East Gosford Training Room.
A report to Council’s January 24 meeting said the sale was not identified as being contentious during the community consultation in 2021 and Council did not receive any specific adverse feedback regarding the proposed sale.
“The land can now be returned to the sale process,” the report said.
“In keeping with the current use of the site and taking into account the education and training facilities on the adjacent site, it is considered that preference should be given as part of the sale process to a party that will undertake to use the land for education and training related purposes.”
Council resolved to dispose of the land for not less than the market value as determined by an independent valuer with the sale process to be conducted through an EOI process managed via a suitably qualified real estate agency.
A plea from resident Zina Harije in the public forum prior to the meeting for Council to retain the land fell on deaf ears.
Harije, who was herself trained at the site in 2010 as a Council employee, suggested the site should be kept in community hands with options for third party leasing arrangements for education and training purposes to be sought.
“With the amount of parcels within the asset sales tranche listings it is absurd for staff to consider this site not be contentious within the community,” she said.
“Within the past 12 years Council has invested funds to improve and maintain this site.
“I believe that this site should be maintained and considered for community purpose and if Council still needs funds in the future then it should be put up for consideration once we have elected representatives.”
Source:
Central Coast Council meeting and public forum, Jan 24