Councillor Ben Shields pushed for the market evaluation as he ruled out a rushed sale of the undeveloped portion of the East Dubbo estate.

His colleagues agreed to spend up to $15,000 on the exercise, but some said they had reasons other than Cr Shields’s stated desire to “fix” the land development strategy.

Cr Shields said earlier this month Keswick was performing poorly compared with private residential developments.

Back then he announced he would seek a market appraisal “with a view to sell” to a private developer.

He moved for the evaluation at the December meeting and repeated his earlier claims the council had trouble selling Keswick lots.

Other developers were “not just beating but whipping” the council in sales but Cr Shields’s tune had changed.

He said he wanted a market evaluation to help the council get back on track but it would be mad to sell.

“This is not a fire sale . . . it is gathering information so we can see if, in the long term, we should be in this business,” he said.

Cr Greg Matthews seconded the motion but said straight up that he did so for different reasons.

He noted the council had done a master plan for the estate 18 months ago and that had resulted in smaller lots, which he viewed as positive.

He supported the council’s policy that allowed buyers in the market for the first time and people from lower socio-economic groups to find a start in Keswick, he said.

“I’d like the size of lots and the covenants looked at again,” Cr Matthews said.

“I do not agree with the council being an out-and-out competitor to everyone.

“We’re here to put a base on the market.”

A question from Cr Keith Harris led general manager Mark Riley to reveal there was no “value per se” on Keswick.

The value the council had written down for Keswick came from the 1970s purchase price and development costs since, Mr Riley said.

Cr Harris supported obtaining a market evaluation if it could be done for no more than $15,000.

“My experience is that commercial evaluations cost more (than $15,000),” he said.

“I do not want to agree to this and then it cost $60,000.”

Councillors agreed to include the cap on the market evaluation and the motion was carried unanimously.

Cr Shields has previously said the council sold four lots in Keswick last year while 19 lots sold in the privately-developed Delroy Park.

The council reported earlier this month that a total of 47 lots had been sold at Keswick Estate since mid-2008, when the first blocks of land within the approved 87-lot subdivision were available for sale.

Lots sell after auction

The selling agent for three Keswick Estate lots has been busy since they failed to sell at auction.

Realtor Brian McAneney this week reported unconditional contracts for all three had been exchanged and deposits paid.

The duplex lots went up for auction on November 30 and attracted some interest.

Dubbo City Council exercised its vendor bid at $120,000, but all three were passed in.

Mr McAneney maintained the process had worked well.

“It was a fantastic result,” he said. “We were extremely confident they were going to go. The auction worked a treat.”

The two lots of 1167 square metres and one lot of 1088 square metres have a boundary on Cobbity Avenue, part of the estate to the south of Cobra Street.