Cambridge councillors have thwarted mayor Gary Mack’s second attempt for council to buy a piece of prime land in West Leederville.
Not for the first time this month, Mr Mack asked council to bid for 28-30 Cambridge Street, a run-down property at the corner of Southport Street.
Mr Mack claimed the main reason the Town of Cambridge should purchase the land was to maintain control and financial leverage over the area, where it already owns a number of lots.
“If we acquire that property, along with the other three properties that we own (on Cambridge Street), we would have significant control as to what size and form goes there,” he said.
“If we don’t, then we lose all control because that corner block, if bought by Portland Group, that is a significant development site of which they could go to the State development assessment unit and have it approved without any input from us.”
Portland Group currently owns the four lots that sit next to the site for sale.
The 792sqm site is expected to fetch upwards of $2 million.
Mr Mack had asked the council to give the chief executive power to spend up to $2.5m of the town’s reserves funds.
But his suggestion was ultimately never considered on Tuesday as Cr Ben Mayes used a procedural motion to skip the discussion.
While it could technically be brought up again at a future meeting, in today’s red-hot real estate market, it is likely any chance to put in an offer may well have passed by then.
The procedural motion came a couple of hours after a Floreat resident grilled Mr Mack about why the matter was due to be discussed after after it was shut down weeks prior at a confidential council meeting.
“How can the residents have confidence in council decisions if A, they will be rescinded if passed or, B, will be resubmitted if they fail,” Floreat resident Florinda said.
Mr Mack said it was “not unusual” to bring back motions.
“Its not unusual and this council has done it before, to receive motions that have not been passed, often that’s because new information has come through,” he said.
He told PerthNow yesterday that he had no plans to bring this one back though.
“I did have expectations that, by bringing the motion back a second time, that it would be passed,” he said.
“There’s no plans to bring it up again, as it’s likely the land will be sold.”