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City of Greater Geraldton to consider vacant land sale to encourage local investment

Headshot of Elise Van Aken
Elise Van AkenGeraldton Guardian
The City of Greater Geraldton is considering selling 45 of its vacant lots.
Camera IconThe City of Greater Geraldton is considering selling 45 of its vacant lots. Credit: Dominique Bayens/The Geraldton Guardian

New vacant blocks are set to become available for buyers in a council bid to capitalise on the strong real estate market and help locals and potential new residents build in Geraldton.

On Tuesday, City of Greater Geraldton councillors will vote on whether to allow the City to sell 35 vacant residential lots it owns in Mahomets Beach, Rangeway, Spalding and Utakarra, as well as 10 commercial lots in Wonthella and at the Airport Technology Park in Moonyoonooka.

The residential properties include 10 beachfront blocks on Willcock Drive with estimated values of $190,000-$200,000, while the others range in value from $21,000-$57,000 and the commercial properties could go for between $190,000 and $1.17 million.

If approved, the vacant lots will join four other council-owned properties on the market, with three more under offer.

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The recommendation to the council by City land and regulatory services manager Brian Robartson said the economic and market conditions were considered suitable for sale of the land.

City chief executive Ross McKim told the council agenda forum on Tuesday councillors could determine to sell only some of the properties if they were concerned about the access to the Olive Street park, which recently had a new dog park opened to the public.

“Around where I live, a house could go on the market and it seems like within a week the sold sign is going up,” he said.

“There is a lot of people out there looking for somewhere to live.

“We’re trying to speed through our building approvals and planning approvals as quickly as we can, but this is another way of making sure there is available land in good spots for folk to invest in the city.

“We could, if you wish, hold off on a lot or two and not sell and use it as a laneway.”

Cr Butch Parker expressed his concerns over allowing offers under the estimated reserve prices for the Willcock Drive blocks.

“If we’re going to be serious about selling the whole lot, it’s money for us and it’s money on rates that we’ll be able to get,” he said.

“We can’t lock ourselves in.

“We’ve tried this once before with Willcock Drive, to sell them all off, and it was a white elephant.”

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