‘Fix up, sell up or pay up’: Shepparton council candidate Rob Priestly’s plan to clean up derelict buildings
A fire-ravaged hospital derelict for nearly half a century and an iconic pub gutted and boarded up for a decade are two of the eyesore buildings this council candidate is on a mission to clean up. Here’s how he plans to do it
Goulburn Valley
Don't miss out on the headlines from Goulburn Valley. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Greater Shepparton council candidate on a mission to clean up Shepparton’s streets.
He’s troubled by the state of some properties in Greater Shepparton, and wants to make derelict building owners “fix up, sell up or pay up”.
“I think we’ve got residential properties and landmark commercial properties in our town that detract from the reputation of the area,” he said.
It’s not a new idea – similar blanket policies have been enforced in the La Trobe region and Frankston, where any property deemed “uninhabitable” would be slapped with higher rates.
“Council can’t force a landowner to do anything about their property, but they can create the financial environment where owners are penalised if they don’t do something about it,” he said.
While he doesn’t know the exact number of derelict properties around Shepparton, he said there were a handful across town which would come under his “eyesore building” proposal.
One significant dilapidated landmark is the Mooroopna Hospital, which closed its doors in 1974 and was gutted by fire in 2011.
“It’s the first and last thing you see in Mooroopna, and I’m keen to see that change,” Mr Priestly said.
Another landmark property, the Shepparton Hotel, has been derelict and boarded up since fire tore through the iconic building in 2007.
But the problem isn’t isolated to landmark sites.
Shepparton resident Karen Thompson said her elderly parents have lived next door to an “ugly and embarrassing” property for more than a decade.
“It used to be a really nice house, but it gradually become more and more dilapidated and no one can live there anymore,“ she said.
Devaluation of the property was the least of her parent’s worries. Ms Thompson said the property had attracted crooks, the unruly grass posed a fire hazard, and termites had jumped across and infested her parent’s home multiple times.
Ms Thompson’s mum – who passed away earlier this year – sent regular letters to the council for more than 10 years, but all they would do was tidy up the site.
“Doesn’t seem to matter how many times mum has written asking to have something done about there, nothing came to the forefront,” she said.
Mr Priestly said his proposal would exclude rural zones, and said the finer details would be worked out through the council process if he were elected.
Council was unable to comment as it is currently caretaker period.
Check out more stories at The Goulburn Valley News here
Want to become a digital subscriber? Join now on our latest offer here
Like us on Facebook here
Contact Madi Chwasta at madi.chwasta@news.com.au
MORE GOULBURN VALLEY NEWS
SHEPPARTON’S TOP 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL
THE CRIMES THAT SHOCKED GOULBURN VALLEY
SHEPPARTON RIDERS ‘HEARTBROKEN’ AFTER JUMPS DESTROYED
WHY SHEPPARTON IS THE KEBAB CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA
GOULBURN VALLEY A FRUITFUL PROPERTY OPPORTUNITY
SHIRTLESS MAN TERRORISES WALKERS ON SHEPPARTON RIVERBANK