A group of Gisborne residents has slammed Macedon Ranges council’s plans to only deal with grocery chain Aldi in its sale of a 2025 square-metre block of land at 51 Aitken Street.
As reported by Star Weekly in April, councillors approved sale of the land, long earmarked for parking, to Aldi for $600,000.
This overturned an earlier council decision to seek expressions of interest from any interested parties.
Last week’s special council meeting heard many people feared the council was not getting the most out of the sale.
Representing concerned residents, lawyer Mark Bartley said the price was much less than market value.
‘‘The use of a non-competitive sale has also got to raise questions,’’ he said.
Cr John Letchford said a private treaty was allowable when a suitable public purpose was being served.
But businessman David Williamson questioned the site’s public value, saying its locale would do little to ease parking woes.
Cr Letchford has previously said contamination of the former Gisborne shire depot site next door would affect the land value. But council officers confirmed that contamination was restricted to the adjoining lot, and was cleared in 2015.
The sale proposal will be considered again by the council on June 22. Aldi, meanwhile, has plans for a supermarket on another block.
