Potential Hillside buyers considered

Kiwirail is considering expressions of interest for the purchase of Dunedin's Hillside Workshops.

Parties have until the end of May to register their interest in buying the property, which is expected to be sold by August.

KiwiRail communications manager Kimberley Brady said details of potential buyers would not be made public.

"We are satisfied with the response. We always said we would have the final result in August and we are still on track for that," she said yesterday.

Those interested in Hillside have been given detailed information about the property, in the form of a memorandum of understanding.

It explains commercial information about the site, details about the different types of work, and the particulars of land assets.

Interested parties were expected to lodge indicative bids early next month, after which KiwiRail would go through "due diligence" to determine the validity of offers, Ms Brady said.

Stakeholders were being kept informed throughout the process, as they had been to date, she said.

Dunedin city leaders united recently to do whatever was necessary for the sale to be dealt with smoothly, following concern about its impact on workers and the wider community.

It was hoped a potential buyer could work with city authorities and organisations to enhance business using existing Hillside resources and staff.

In April, KiwiRail chief executive Jim Quinn told the 123 staff about the workshops' proposed sale and said a final decision would be due by the end of August.

His announcement left many concerned it would mark the end of the historical railway engineering facility.

- rosie.manins@odt.co.nz

 

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