Eden Realty’s Glenn Brunette says there is already interest in the former St Joseph’s school site.
Expressions of Interest (EOI) are being sought for St Joseph’s Primary School that closed at the end of last year following a decline in enrolments.
The school has been put on the market by the Catholic diocese and it’s hoped it will attract some form of business or commercial venture that will bring jobs to the town.
Agent for the sale, Glenn Brunette, said there had already been several interested parties make enquiries but there would be no decision until the end of the EOI process on October 5.
“Before those expressions of interest can be considered we have to go through a public campaign to see what other interest is out there,” he said.
“So what we want is for anyone who might be interested to come forward and show their hand so we can then make a decision.”
Mr Brunette said that educational facility options had already been explored with interest from the Maritime College and the University of NSW.
“However, with the Australian dollar and other restraints within the education fraternities, they’re pulling in their dollars rather than expanding,” he said but was quick to add that whoever bought the site, he expected development to commence within a short time after sale.
“If the property is sold, it’s not going to sit dormant,” he said. “People are not going to spend money buying it and not do something with it.
“Whether it be construction of multi-unit housing, which will employ people to build it, or whether it will be an aged care facility, which will employ people to build and maintain it, or whether it’s an educational facility. It will be a new chapter in the town and will be of benefit to Eden.
“We’ve seen several prime sites come up and be sold in Eden,” he said.
“It’s an interesting town – what town anywhere in Australia has a full port facility with international potential? And sites such as the BP site we sold last year, plus the Hotel Australasia, the potential redevelopment of the cannery site, it makes Eden quite unique as far as potential goes.”