The potential for a new housing development along Greenhill Road in Mount Helen may again be on the cards after a large portion of agricultural land was sold last week.
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Hocking Stuart finalised the sale of 15.86 hectares of land south of St Emmaus Catholic Primary School for $1.6 million.
The site is wedged in between several education centres, with Federation University to the south and Damascus College, Mount Clear College and St Emmaus to the immediate north and west.
While the land is currently zoned as farming, it has long been touted as a potential space for housing development.
A Greenhill Road Conceptual Development Framework draft report was developed by council in 2014.
South Ward Councillor Jim Rinaldi said while no proposal had yet been put before council, he was supportive of finding another use for the land.
The 2014 draft plan identified more than 90 hectares of land between Geelong Road, Greenhill Road and Olympic Avenue which could potentially be the site of 500 new homes for more than 1000 residents.
At the time the proposal received significant opposition from residents who were concerned the development would ruin the region’s natural appeal.
The local community will be very aware and will want to scrutinise it and make sure it doesn’t damage that green belt.
- Des Hudson - South Ward councillor
While a finalised plan had been anticipated for 2015, it is yet to be put before council.
Fellow ward councillor Des Hudson said any property owners wishing to develop the land should seek to engage the community as well as council.
“If we continue to look at the expansion of Ballarat it’s only natural to assume there will be people who want to live in that pocket of town,” Cr Hudson said.
“As has always been the case with development in that corridor the local community will be very aware and will want to scrutinise it and make sure it doesn’t damage that green belt.”
