Geelong council to put proposed sale of Ocean Grove properties out for feedback

Geelong council has unanimously decided to put a proposal to sell a pair of Ocean Grove properties to the people, as one councillor denied the move was a cash grab.

Geelong council is looking to sell a pair of Ocean Grove properties, including the carpark at 89-91 The Terrace.

Geelong council has unanimously decided to put a proposal to sell a pair of Ocean Grove properties to the people, as one councillor denied the move was a cash grab.

Elise Wilkinson, whose Conneware ward takes in Ocean Grove, put forward the motion that will now see community feedback sought on the sale of a park at 94 The Parade and carpark at 89-91 The Terrace.

“This particular corner has received a lot of attention over the last couple of weeks, with the old garage being pulled down,” she said.

“There’s a lot of talk about what’s happening, what’s going on … this I know will attract a lot of community engagement as the community within Ocean Grove is very passionate, and very rightfully, about their beautiful landscape and the area.”

Ms Wilkinson said City Hall would welcome the community’s thoughts on the proposed sale.

“Bring on the opinions and feedback,” she said.

Leopold councillor and former mayor Trent Sullivan stressed the proposed sale was the outcome of recommendations from the decade-old Ocean Grove Urban Design Framework from 2014, rather than a cash grab.

“There’s been a lot of long-time thought and planning put into this, as opposed to the reporting in some publications that this might be some sort of abominable sell-off of assets,” he said.

“This really is inviting the community to come forward and have a say.”

The two Ocean Grove properties City Hall could put forward to sell.

While the 2014 UDF does present several development options for the corner – once it is squared up – this week’s motion comes just a month after recently installed mayor Stretch Kontelj floated the idea of a review of all council-owned properties.

The options in the UDF include a design where the carpark remains, but the park is replaced with a medical office with apartments above.

Another option, dubbed a “comprehensive development option” would include a tourist accommodation hotel, “large national retailer”, a cafe, shops and a medical centre.

The UDF concluded: “The Hodgson St East Precinct presents the best opportunity to consolidate a site that is most likely to accommodate a second supermarket for the centre”.

EARLIER: More council properties on the chopping block

City Hall will again turn its gaze to selling off council-owned land, with neighbouring Ocean Grove properties the latest to face the chopping block.

Geelong council will on Tuesday night vote on whether to seek community feedback relating to the sale of 94 The Parade and 89-91 The Terrace.

The land includes a small 381 sqm park and 1623 sqm carpark that offers about 50 parking spots.

According to a report by council officers, the sale comes long after the adoption of the 2014 Ocean Grove Urban Design Framework (UDF).

The decade-old report recommended City Hall consider the site as suitable for sale and redevelopment, “subject to off-set or replacement of carparking spaces”.

The funds raised by the sale would go back into Ocean Grove, the report stated.

“The proposed sale of land will ensure the market value of the land is reinvested back into uplifting the public realm and in accordance with the UDF objectives,” city officers wrote.

The UDF also recommended the intersection of The Parade and Hodgson St be squared up, which would enable a further 1000 sqm of road reserve to be available for development.

The proposed sale would be subject to a planning permit being issued for the redevelopment of the southeast corner of the intersection.

Officers recommend the council move forward with community consultation and for council to appoint a submission review panel to hear submissions before a further report is presented to council.

The impending vote comes after Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj floated the idea of selling properties to slash its debt – forecast to be $175m – and pushed for a review of the city’s 850 properties.

Mr Kontelj backtracked after appearing to suggest Wurriki Nyal, the city’s $102m HQ built in 2022, was on the chopping block.

Mr Kontelj said City Hall had to “explore” possible futures for the building, including whether “to own it, or to sell and rent back”.

He later said selling Wurriki Nyal was not a “likely outcome”.

Selling off properties has increasingly become a strategy of the region’s cash-strapped councils since the pandemic.

In May 2020, councillors approved the sale of three large properties; a former childcare facility on Purnell Rd in Corio, a 5000 sqm block on Esperence Cres in Highton and a drainage reserve in Corio.

In August 2022, City Hall announced the sale of the Civic Centre carpark for $22.6m and the ten-pin bowling centre on Reynolds Rd in Belmont for $5.5m.

City Hall has also looked at selling the Busport Carpark.

In August last year, Geelong council approved the sale of land to Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative.

In March 2023, the Borough of Queenscliffe sold a 9509 sqm parcel of land on Murray Rd for $3.5m to a developer, paving the way for a new estate called The Cove, Queenscliff.

That site has become mired in controversy, after the discovery it was riddled with asbestos.

Originally published as Geelong council to put proposed sale of Ocean Grove properties out for feedback