Council has
put in place a thorough process aimed at giving new life to the former Geelong
Post Office building through a sale or lease.
The property will be sold or leased through a
competitive two-stage marketing process, including an Expression of Interest
for use of the building and a subsequent Request for Tender.
The future
tenant or owner will be required to follow the Conservation Management Plan
(CMP), and any changes to the building are subject to
Heritage Victoria approval. These two factors will see the building’s heritage
significance strongly protected.
The site’s use and development will also be required to
complement the overall civic, cultural and arts precinct.
Feedback
and suggestions from the community
on potential uses of the site included retaining the site in public hands for
use as a museum or tourist centre; leasing the space as a Public Private
Partnership; and the outright purchase of the site. Council has noted the 17
public submissions, however details weren’t provided on how the potential uses
would be financially sustainable.
The City bought the former Geelong Post Office site in 1994 with an interest free loan of $670,000 from the state government, which remains unpaid. If the
site is sold, the state government has approved the loan repayment to be
redirected to the restoration of Osborne House and the Stables in North
Geelong.
If sold, the sale price will be no less than an independent valuation.
If the City doesn’t receive any offers that are in line with the sale conditions, Council has requested the CEO provide a report.
The decision came after an amendment put
forward by Councillor Jim Mason, which added the option of leasing the building and
included extra measures to protect its heritage elements.
Councillor Bruce Harwood – Mayor
This
matter has been the subject of extensive community consultation, and I’m glad the
council has now taken a major step towards giving the property a potential new
life through a sale or lease.Community
members can be assured the heritage elements of the historic site will be
protected by the requirements of the Conservation Management Plan, regardless
of its future tenant or owner.
Councillor Jim
Mason – Chair – Arts, Culture and Heritage portfolio
This has
been a very challenging process that’s taken a lot of thought, consideration,
collaboration and goodwill.The intent of the amendment we’ve passed is to further solicit uses for the
building from the private or NGO sectors, while permanently protecting the
building’s heritage and complementing the surrounding civic and cultural
precinct.The Heritage Advisory Committee voted last week that the building should be
kept in public hands. Unfortunately, in 15 years, no-one has been able to show
how this can be done in a financially sustainable way. This decision provides
an opportunity for the private sector and for philanthropists to present
options for the building to be brought to life for community use.With this decision, the post office is not being thrown into a realm of
lawlessness, a wild west. It will always lie in the realm of public protection.
In the event of a sale, the building will be permanently protected under the
Section 173 agreement and the Conservation Management Plan. Once the Section
173 is registered on the title, council as the responsible authority will
always have the final say over any changes in the building’s use and
development, regardless of its owner.
