The council-run truck wash facility at the former Geelong Saleyards will be closed as the City of Greater Geelong prepares to sell the site.
The truck wash, which has seen usage decline steadily over the past year, will cease operations in late September, while the council prepares to undertake community consultation on the proposed sale of land.
Council decided to close the saleyards in 2017, rezoning the site as a Comprehensive Development Zone 4 in 2020 as part of the Geelong Saleyards Precinct Plan.
Councillor Anthony Aitken said closing the truck wash and selling the site for development presented a “great opportunity for Geelong to build a unique community at that site location”.
“The reality is, where (the truck wash) is at that site location is not suitable; it’s not accessible and that’s why usage has dropped, because it was associated with the saleyards,” he said.
“If there was anywhere in Geelong where we should have medium to high density housing development it should be at that site, because we’re taking industrial and commercial land and turning it into residential.”
Councillor Andrew Katos said the truck wash had been running at a loss of nearly $230,000 each year.
“Every truck that’s washed there is subsidised to the tune of over $500 by the rate payer,” Cr Katos said.
“The closure means more money back in council’s coffers that can be better spent on the many other services and infrastructure upgrades that we provide.”
Both Cr Aitken and Cr Katos voiced their hopes the state government would be open to selling the parcel of land it owns on the south side of the former saleyards at the same time to maximise the returns for both parties.
Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj said the 4.3 hectare site was a prime location for medium to high density development given its proximity to North Geelong Railway Station.
“The proposed sale presents a fantastic commercial opportunity to redevelop the site in-line with Geelong Saleyards Precinct Plan,” he said.
“Developments like these will be crucial in our efforts to meet the Victorian government’s ambitious target of 128,600 additional homes in Greater Geelong by 2051.
“With Geelong’s population rapidly expanding, we can’t just build out – we also need to look for ways to build up in our CBD and established suburbs.”
