The City of Greater Geelong will sell 5456 square metres of land in Norlane to Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative.
The land is next to the current site of the co-operative at 60-62 Morgan Street, North Geelong, and is currently public open space that includes a shared pathway.
Following the proposed sale, announced at council’s monthly meeting on Wednesday August 27, the City will retain part of the land, including the shared pathway, road reserve and public space, with the land authorised for sale deemed surplus to requirements.
The sale of the land will allow Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative to complete a significant redevelopment of its site, centralising the services it provides to the community. The redevelopment works are subject to the co-operative receiving a planning permit.
City officers in Strategic and Statutory Planning are currently processing a combined Planning Scheme Amendment (96A) to change the existing zone of the land currently occupied by the co-operative and the land authorised for sale to allow the redevelopment of existing buildings, with the sale only to proceed if the land is rezoned.
It is anticipated that the land at 43 The Boulevard will enable the development of car parking after the sale.
The land will be sold at a value agreed upon between the City and Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative based on current market valuations.
Mayor Trent Sullivan said the sale of the land would make a real difference to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
“Council is proud to be working with Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative on the future of their site,” he said.
“Now that the sale has been authorised, City officers will continue to work on the rezoning of the land to enable building redevelopments, and I look forward to seeing what comes next for the site.”
Community engagement was completed in accordance with section 114 of the Local Government Act 2020 and the Community Engagement Policy, with 10 submissions received.
