Land once home to Sunshine’s library and a maternal child and health centre has been sold for $4.6 million at auction.
Brimbank council enlisted local real estate agents Douglas Kay to auction the site, at 20 Alexandra Avenue, Sunshine, last Wednesday.
Agent Peter Kay said the purchaser was a property developer from the western suburbs who planned to build a medium density development of about 20 townhouses on the land.
He said bidding began at $3 million, which was followed by 15 bids of $100,000 increments in quick succession.
“After 10 minutes we were at $4.5 million,” Mr Kay said.
The agency was quoting $820 to $900 a square metre – or between $3.2 million and $3.4 million – for the property.
Brimbank mayor John Hedditch said the council was delighted with the result.
“The sale price highlights the buoyancy and appeal of the real estate market in Sunshine and surrounding areas,” he said.
“Council looks forward to innovative design and development of the site that reflects a good balance of built form with the natural environment.”
Before the bulldozers arrived late last year, the 3800-square-metre block had been home to the library and the maternal and child health centre, which have both been relocated.
The council deemed the land surplus to its requirements during planning for the new Brimbank Community and Civic Centre.
The land was rezoned from public use to general residential in 2015, with the aim of developing medium density housing. It is part of a larger parcel of land which was formerly the Sunshine municipal offices.
A council report last year deemed the land was no longer of strategic significance.
The sale comes off the back of positive news in Brimbank council’s quarterly financial report, which forecasts a surplus of $25.28 million for the 2016-17 – $10.77 million more than expected.
Brimbank corporate and community relations director Helen Morrissey said the result was largely due to an increase in developer contributions and the sale of land in Withers Street, Sunshine, for VicRoads’ new facility.
“The surplus will be channelled directly back into the future development of Brimbank as one of the funding sources for the council’s future capital works program, which includes works on roads, buildings and parks across the municipality,” she said.
