At June’s council meeting, councillors voted in favour of allocating up to $20,000 in the 2017/18 budget to engage professional consultants to help form a decision on whether to sell, lease or develop the unit complex.  

Council also voted that the consultant be sought from the Kempsey Local Government area to undertake the consultation.

The move comes after Kempsey Shire Council were slammed by local real estate agents last year after enlisting the services of a Port Macquarie-based realty to sell the 12 one-bedroom units.

Council subsequently withdrew the units from sale pending a review.

According to the report tabled at the June meeting, council has not yet considered developing the site itself.

However, that possibility will likely be explored, with council stating that it owns limited land assets in Kempsey that are not flood prone.