The Sarah Lands Saga

Sarah Lands is similar to Solsbury Field in that it is another relatively small independent development in the Keysborough South area. It is located at the corner of Perry Rd and Westwood Boulevard. Land sales started in July 2014 and the civil works commenced in September of that year. Purchasers were told that titles were expected in March/April 2015 (sounds familiar). 

It would seem that most of the development work was indeed completed with roads, kerbs, footpaths, crossovers and streetlights in place by the end of March. It has therefore been a source of frustration for the buyers that although the civil works are completed that the predicted date for titles was continually put back.

Unfortunately, some land buyers had assumed the original title dates were a reliable guide and entered into contracts with builders. They are now paying penalties to builders as a consequence of the ongoing delays.

It has emerged that these delays are due to a dispute between the developer, Galileo and the Greater Dandenong Council over an area set aside as public space in the estate. The council was seeking a formal undertaking from Galileo that it would fund the open space works.

Perhaps unfairly, the buyers attempted to apply pressure on the council to resolve the matter. A number of them attended a Council meeting on the 13^th of July enquiring about the cause of the ongoing delays. Representatives from the council indicated that they were waiting on the developer to submit the required paperwork. Once this was received the council would be able to certify compliance in approximately one week.

It is understood that there was a meeting between the council and the developer on the 10^th of July where they reached an agreement on a way forward. The developer submitted the paperwork on the July 14 and the council certified compliance on the July 23. Who says the squeaky wheel doesn’t get the grease!