A buyer has emerged for this vacant land, once part of a school, at 48-58 Barton St, Bell Park.
Geelong’s council has scored $4.2m from the sale of a vacant former school site in Bell Park as it continues to cash in on surplus property across the city.
Gartland, Geelong director Michael De Stefano said a buyer was quick to emerge for the 1.02ha parcel of land on the northeast corner of Barton St and Anakie Rd.
But residents in the area will have to wait a little longer before any future development plans for the former Western Heights College site are revealed.
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The dual street frontages was a key selling point.
“It is a large group and its use is undisclosed at this stage,” Mr De Stefano said.
“We had a number of larger groups looking at it – both local, Melbourne and interstate – and it sold for $4.2m, which we think is a good result, another result that shows confidence in our area.”
The City of Greater Geelong paid $3.41m for the property in 2019 with a view to establishing an early years hub.
That plan was put on ice in 2023 due to affordability constraints and the fact the area was deemed to have enough services to meet projected demand over the next decade.
With slightly elevated views towards Corio Bay and dual street frontages, the site at 48-58 Barton St, Bell Park, was marketed as ideal for medium density housing, medical uses, aged car or child care.
The property is just down the road from Bell Park North Primary School.
Neighbouring parts of the former school site have already been developed into a over-50s lifestyle community and an aged care facility.
Mr De Stefano said the sale showed strong buyer appetite for unlocking under-utilised land in established neighbourhoods.
“There is already a ready-made catchment in terms of a residential base, there’s infrastructure in place,” he said.
“You have got shopping centres up the road, it’s a well-established area and high profile as well. Those types of sites don’t come up that often.”
The sale comes hot on the heels of council’s $11m deal for the former livestock saleyards in North Geelong that’s been earmarked for future medium or high density development.