February 26, 2019
The South Burnett Regional Council is testing if there is a market for industrial land in Kingaroy.
At last week’s Council meeting, Councillors voted to put Lot 7 in Cornish Street out to tender.
The large block in the Kingaroy Industrial Estate has sat vacant for more than 20 years.
Parts are currently used as an overflow parking area for visitors to the South Burnett Enterprise Centre.
Any sale of the land would be conditional on the new owner starting work on an approved development within a reasonable time frame to stop any purchaser squatting on the block.
Council has followed a similar strategy with its former works depot site in Pound Street, near Kingaroy’s CBD.
The Pound Street block is released to the market every two to three years, then withdrawn from sale if no suitable development offers are received.
The motion to put the industrial estate block out to tender was moved by Cr Terry Fleischfresser, seconded by Cr Danita Potter and carried unanimously.
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Council will give the Proston Men’s Shed a 10-year lease of 1500sq m of land near Proston’s free overnight camping area in Rodney Street so the group can build a permanent shed.
The lease will be granted for $82.50 per annum, subject to a range of conditions that include the Men’s Shed taking out $20 million in building, contents and public liability insurance; keeping the leased land clean and tidy; and paying all charges levied against the property including rates, water, wastewater, refuse, electricity and communications.
The Men’s Shed has been looking for a home in Proston for several years. The group had already purchased a prefabricated shed but have lacked a suitable location to erect it.
Cr Kathy Duff said the Men’s Shed had consulted with the community and Proston business owners about the proposed location and everyone was happy with the site they selected.
Council will bear the cost of a survey, registration of the survey plan with the Queensland Titles Office, and lease preparation costs.
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Council will soon call for expressions of interest from commercial operators to take over the former Wondai Railway Station building in Coronation Park, Wondai.
The building has been used to store the archives of the nearby Wondai Regional Art Gallery for several years.
However, recent upgrades to the gallery have provided it with extra storage space, freeing up the railway station building for other uses.
The building is located immediately next to the South Burnett Rail Trail.
Council will offer a sub-lease to the successful applicant.
