Bayswater Wine Cellars passed on in vendor bid of $1.8 million
THE auction of the 19th century Bayswater Wine Cellars attracted plenty of onlookers when it went up for auction yesterday, but did the property sell?
Outer East
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THERE were plenty of onlookers but no serious buyers at the auction of the historic Bayswater Wine Cellars yesterday.
The 19th-century wine shop, set on 4800 sqm at 803 Mountain Highway, attracted a crowd of about 50 people watching on, but apart from a brief interlude from a protester calling for protection of trees, there were no bids.
The property was passed in on a vendor bid of $1.8 million and agents are negotiating with potential buyers.
Speaking to Leader after the auction, Colliers International agent Richard Wilkinson said he was confident of securing a buyer and expected the sale price to be above $1.8 million.
Agent Jonathan Mercuri said some people who showed interest were Bayswater-based developers and land bankers.
Meanwhile, Bayswater state Liberal MP Heidi Victoria called on the State Government to step in to provide greater heritage protection to save the historic building.
The building is on the National Trust’s Victorian Heritage Database as having “local historical significance”, and anyone wanting to demolish it would have to apply for a council permit.
Ms Victoria said if elected, the Liberal National government would protect it by applying an interim protection order under the Heritage Act.
She urged the Labor Government to match that commitment.
Labor candidate for Bayswater and Knox councillor Peter Lockwood did not want to comment on whether he supported adding extra protection to the building.
He said there was a “lot of potential” for redeveloping the land but refused to give his opinion on his preference for the future of the site, saying he did not want to pre-empt any application that comes before the council.
The site is zoned industrial and council’s city development director Angelo Kourambas said the council would encourage uses that were in accordance with the heritage overlay of the cellar.
In the lead-up to the auction Colliers International said they had about 100 expressions of interest.
Mr Mercuri said: “The property attracted a range of interest from showroom users, retail operators and even petrol stations occupiers, given it offers a high volume of traffic flow.”
Patrick Lane, spokesman for Planning Minister Richard Wynne, said “our heritage is our history and it should be protected” and reiterated the site was covered by local heritage protection.
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