THE Department of Education has confirmed it is in negotiations to buy a vacant block of land behind Eglinton Public School to allow for future expansion.
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The 1.11 hectare parcel of land was first offered to the department as part of a proposal by Hynash Pty Ltd to develop a 219-lot residential subdivision behind the school.
The department initially indicated it would not require the land but, after lobbying from the Eglinton Public School P&C, agreed to take another look at enrolments.
Representatives from the department also carried out a site inspection in September when they met with representatives of the school executive along with mayor Graeme Hanger and Bathurst Regional Council general manager David Sherley.
The talks proved fruitful, with the department confirming in a letter to Bathurst MP Paul Toole last week that “these investigations have culminated in commencement of negotiations with the land owner to ascertain the potential terms for the department to acquire the property to expand Eglinton Public School”.
Mr Toole welcomed the development, saying he had been working behind the scenes to secure a good outcome for Eglinton.
“I have been working on this for six months now, talking with the education minister, Bathurst Regional Council and local community and making good progress,” he said.
News of the likely sale will come as a blow for Labor candidate for Bathurst Beau Riley, who had made acquiring the extra land one of his first policies.
Mr Riley had launched a petition calling on the government to acquire the land for the future expansion of Eglinton Public and accused Mr Toole of failing to stand up for the Eglinton community.
“Eglinton is a growing area with lots of new young families moving in,” Mr Riley said.
“The opportunity to grow the school alongside the community is going to slip away if nobody does anything.”
Mr Toole said the story showed Mr Riley was out of touch with the Bathurst community.
“The people of Bathurst and Eglinton deserve better than this,” he said.
“I will run a positive campaign and continue to deliver for the people of the Bathurst electorate.”