Plans for the joint sale of the former Brimbank municipal offices at Sunshine are dead in the water after co-owner VicTrack cited “unresolved planning issues” with its partner, Brimbank council.
Star Weekly revealed in July last year the council’s plan to rezone the 1.8-hectare land parcel at McCracken Street and Alexandra Avenue – VicTrack owns 6294 square metres and the council 10,070 square metres – to general residential, with the aim of developing medium density housing.
Brimbank chair of administrators John Watson said at the time the land presented an “excellent opportunity” to bring more housing into the centre of Sunshine.
But a VicTrack spokesman said the land lots would now be sold separately after the council backed out of its agreement.
The spokesman said VicTrack spent two years working on a long-term plan for the site with the council, which set a reserve price for its share of the land – including the former temporary library and maternal and child health centre – in September this year.
“Due to unresolved planning issues solely relating to council-owned land, council has written to VicTrack to confirm it will no longer pursue a joint sale of land,” the VicTrack spokesman said.
“VicTrack is now marketing its land for sale independently of the land owned by Brimbank council.”
He said the council has recommended the planning minister rezones VicTrack-owned land for residential use.
“Every dollar generated through our commercial activities is reinvested directly back to transport and Victorian communities.”
The council did not answer questions about its issues with the land, as it is in caretaker mode pending last Friday’s election results.
The council ticked off on a $310,000 contract in August to demolish the eastern wing of its former Alexandra Avenue offices and the temporary library in McCracken Street.
