Eurobodalla Council has sold 40 hectares of land behind Dalmeny’s Tatiara Street to developer Andrew Scarano.
Contracts of sale were exchanged last week, with the director of Heppa Constructions saying he was excited to secure the site, his first south coast development.
“It’s very early days and there is a lot of planning to be done but it is my intention this will be a quality development,” Mr Scarano said.
Council’s director of planning Lindsay Usher said the land parcel had garnered significant market interest.
“The Property Council of Australia is calling for government action to address the housing crisis. One of the few things Council can do is provide appropriately zoned land for development,” Mr Usher said.
“Interest in the property was extremely strong and only reinforces selling at this time.”
The final sale price is not presently known. (It has been suggested by a third party that the property sold for $4 million).
The property was sold by way of Expression of Interest that closed on Wednesday, 15 September 2021 by 4pm. CBRE Group, Inc were the exclusive agents and listed the property on their website.
At the Tuesday morning briefings to Councillors they were advised of the sale, however, staff withheld the final sale price.
Councillor Pat McGinlay has made comment saying:
"As a councillor, I was advised by staff, of this contract being signed for the first time yesterday at our regular councillor briefing session. Like anyone else with an interest in this issue, and there are many, my immediate questions were obvious: Who bought this sizable parcel of forested, formerly ratepayer-owned land?
"And, again obviously, how much did they (whomever they are), agree to pay? .
Staff declined to share that information however; so please don’t ask me as I do not as yet know the entity that has contracted to purchase the land, nor how much they agreed to pay.
"I will however, seek at the next council meeting, next Tuesday, that the Mayor accept as an urgent matter, a series of questions and require the staff to answer them. I advised my fellow councillors and staff yesterday that I would be doing so. The answers to such questions should make these simple facts known to the public. I will send such questions to the Mayor, my fellow councillors and of course senior staff, well in advance of next week’s meeting."
Mr Usher offers that "while some residents had expressed concerns about the development, others wanted the opportunity for their kids and grandkids to be able to build a home in their hometown."
“The settings are in place to ensure it will be a good development outcome,” Mr Usher said.
“The land is zoned R2 – low density residential – and the number of lots is influenced by considerations of biodiversity, landscape and heritage, provision of open space, and infrastructure such as roads and services.
“Residents views will be sought as planning and design take place, with opportunities for community input to be well advertised.”
For detailed information about the land release including answers to frequently asked questions, visit Dalmeny land release area | Eurobodalla Shire Council (nsw.gov.au)
The block of land is a 40 hectare parcel of land behind Tatiara Street, Dalmeny. Part of the lot is community land which is not included in the Land Release Area or proposed to be sold. Only the part of the lot that is within the Land Release Area will be sold.
Once the sale is finalised the new owner is required to follow legislated planning processes. This includes a requirement for a Development Control Plan to be adopted by Council before any development can proceed.
Council say they have not determined how the proceeds of the land sale will be used at this point saying they are not required for the Batemans Bay Cultural and Aquatic Centre, which is already fully funded.
