By LAURA WAKELY
BRIMBANK City Council will make an offer to purchase half of the former Sunvale school site.
The council resolved last week to make the offer to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) for 1.1 hectares of the site, which is split into two zones.
The portion council will bid for is zoned public use, with council’s intention to use it for community parkland, while the remaining 0.93 hectares is zoned residential.
The price council will put forward was discussed confidentially, as Manager of City Development Stephen Sully suggested revealing the cost could impact on council’ ability to negotiate and secure the site.
He said the cost would be “substantial”, paid off over three years and the price revealed “when and if” the site is purchased.
In the meantime, the council will seek an independent valuation of the 1.1 hectares.
The DEECD has been carrying out its own land valuation of the entire Sunvale site, the results of which are yet to be released.
Administrator Meredith Sussex said it was “extremely unlikely” that the Government would transfer the site over to council, free of charge, even though it was “the right thing to do”.
“At any time the Government could put a for sale sign up,” Ms Sussex said.
“We want to secure this site. We think it’s essential.”
She said the council wanted to take possession of at least 0.8 hectares for parkland, but would prefer more.
Respect the West’s Sean Spencer and John Hedditch have been lobbying the Government and council to secure Sunvale for public space since its closure in 2009.
Mr Spencer said the council had been supportive of the campaign and encouraged residents to keep lobbying.
“Hopefully they’ll be able to purchase the bit in their means and that’s a good thing,” he said.
“We’ll keep plugging away.”
