Agent queries state government land buy when Tewantin TAFE site is unused
A Noosa real estate agent has questioned the state government’s move to buy prime land in Tewantin while the TAFE site sits unused and ‘vandalised’ amid a homelessness crisis.
Sunshine Coast
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A real estate agent involved in a recent sale of prime Tewantin land to the state government has raised questions regarding the land purchase.
Earlier this week the Sunshine Coast Daily revealed the state government had bought land at 30-32 Doonella St, in the heart of Tewantin, from developer Chris Wright.
The developer said he sold the land to the state government for $3.25m.
A housing department spokesman confirmed the state government had bought the Doonella St land for “future redevelopment” but would not confirm if the site was earmarked for social housing.
“We are building more social housing, we’re buying houses for people to live in and land to redevelop where that’s the best option in the local area, and we’re helping people to secure and sustain private rentals,” the spokesman said.
Marketing real estate agent for the Doonella St sale, Grant Baker, questioned why the state government had invested in the Tewantin land when the old TAFE site remained unused.
The former education facility, on an 11ha block off Cooroy-Noosa Rd, closed in 2014.
“It’s been sitting there a long time being vandalised,” Mr Baker said.
“Even if it can’t be for accommodation there are a lot of homeless people out there, could they make it a facility that is usable?”
An employment, small business and training spokeswoman said the state government was committed to reactivating the site.
The spokeswoman said the Noosa Council made an offer to buy the property in late-2018 and then withdrew the purchase offer in mid-2020 because of the “financial impacts” of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In 2021, the department of employment, small business and training subsequently undertook an expression of interest process to reactivate the site for the benefit of the region, which included consulting key community groups and leaders,” she said.
“The department is currently considering options for the re-use of the site and negotiations with a preferred proponent are well advanced.”
The spokeswoman said the department would continue to maintain the site until the expression of interest process had finished.
She said the department was still responsible for the “maintenance and general upkeep” of the site.
“Security contractors have also been employed to monitor the site,” the spokeswoman said .
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