By Laura Wakely
BRIMBANK City Council is looking for a buyer for a 6330 square metre block of land in Sydenham.
The council will go ahead with the sale of the land at 21-29 Trickey Ave after months of debate with the community on the sale of council-owned land.
The community won their fight to keep 12 of the 14 proposed sales of open public space, which included land in Keilor Lodge, Keilor Downs, West Sunshine and Taylors Lakes.
Despite 656 submissions to council about public space, just six submissions addressed the Trickey Ave land, all of which were withdrawn.
In a council meeting last week, administrators voted to sell 21-29 Trickey Ave as a “sensible sale”.
In his original notification of the sale of open land, council CEO Nicholas Foa said the land at Trickey Ave was being sold off because of “issues with reticulated services, poor access and the isolated nature of the land”.
Speaking at last week’s meeting, administrator Meredith Sussex said the space was landlocked, not used and could not be used by the council or community.
The council did not say whether prospective buyers had approached council, but indicated the land would be offered to adjoining landowners.
However, if a buyer doesn’t come forward council will not be selling the land on the open market.
In a report to council, infrastructure and environment general manager Paul Younis said the land would offer “diminished” value to any party other than an adjoining landowner because of the restricted access to the site.
The council is also continuing with the sale of land at 31 Driscolls Rd in Kealba, which will come before council in the coming months.
