St Peter’s Primary School land deal with Catholic Church up in the air

A Bentleigh East primary school has spent thousands — plus recent fete profits — on plans, permits and a future loan for an oval on land pledged by the Catholic Church. But then the church realised the site could make them money.

St Peter's Primary in Bentleigh East was promised land to build an oval at the school but the Catholic Church has pulled the pin on the deal.

A Bentleigh East primary school has forked out more than $45,000 to the Catholic Church as part of a deal to unlock a grassed play space for students.

But the church last month reneged on the deal, saying they now wanted the land to “generate an enduring income stream” for the Holy Trinity Parish.

St Peter’s Primary School has no green space and was promised several years ago that church-owned land nearby would be transformed into an oval.

The school has so far spent more than $45,000 on a masterplan and planning permits for the land at 822-824 Centre Rd, as well as handing over all of the profits from its recent fete to “service the loan on the pledged land”.

The church also owns the former Loganville Nursing Home site on Bignell Rd.

In a letter to parents, parish priest the reverend Father Raju Jacob said “an honest evaluation of the current fiscal and operational position of the parish” meant the church needed to find a way to make money from the properties.

“While I understand the legacy of past well-meant intentions by the former parish priest in respect to these properties and that the school had incorporated these properties within its masterplan, there is a necessary change of course required to reprioritise such parish infrastructure so that it responds and contributes positively to the broader needs of the Holy Trinity Parish,” he said.

Holy Trinity Parish priest the reverend Father Raju Jacob.

A letter sent to families by St Peter’s Parents and Friends group, and seen by the Leader, expressed “disappointment” in the church’s decision to scrap the “longstanding agreement”.

“We maintain that the school has a legitimate claim on the property and will be progressing our position through appropriate channels on this basis on behalf of the parent body,” the letter said.

“A strategy for escalating the issue both within and outside the church has been drafted, though we hope the matter may be resolved in a mutually acceptable way without requiring escalation.

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“We remain confident that with the community’s support we will either fulfil the original masterplan or be in a position to enhance our existing facilities in a way acceptable to us as a school community.”

Catholic Education Melbourne acting executive director Jim Miles said the group was “aware of issues at St Peter’s School”.

“We are working with Holy Trinity Parish and the school to find a solution that benefits all parties,” he said.

In 2018 Glen Eira Council approved plans to transform 822-824 Centre Rd into a sports field.